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OverviewPreparing your estateWhen someone dies
OverviewPreparing your estateWhen someone dies
SimplyTrust forms
Letter of Instruction
Home→Financial Institutions→Guideline→Preparing your estate

How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at Guideline

Covers 7 retirement accounts — beneficiaries can be managed online

Guideline

Subsidiary of Gusto, Inc.

guideline.com→
Guideline logo
Phone1-888-344-5188
Emailsupport@retirement.gusto.com
Mailing Address

Gusto, Inc., Attn: Retirement Care, 1201 16th Street, Suite 350, Denver, CO 80202

IRA Support
1-888-810-3801
Rollovers & Distributions
1-888-498-2766
Plan Sponsors & Administrators
1-888-588-0719
Onboarding Plans
1-888-588-0446
Gusto Retirement Pro Partners
1-888-588-4698
Sales & New Plan Inquiries
1-888-228-3491 ext. 1
WebsiteLearn more→
Phone1-888-344-5188
Emailsupport@retirement.gusto.com
Mailing Address

Gusto, Inc., Attn: Retirement Care, 1201 16th Street, Suite 350, Denver, CO 80202

IRA Support
1-888-810-3801
Rollovers & Distributions
1-888-498-2766
Plan Sponsors & Administrators
1-888-588-0719
Onboarding Plans
1-888-588-0446
Gusto Retirement Pro Partners
1-888-588-4698
Sales & New Plan Inquiries
1-888-228-3491 ext. 1
WebsiteLearn more→

Gusto Retirement Care -- Participant Support (death claims)

Phone1-888-344-5188
Toll-Free1-888-344-5188
Emailsupport@retirement.gusto.com
Mailing Address

Gusto, Inc., Attn: Retirement Care, 1201 16th Street, Suite 350, Denver, CO 80202

WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026

Who inherits your Guideline retirement retirement accounts is determined by the beneficiary designation on file—not by your will. This makes keeping designations current one of the most important estate planning steps, especially because the choice of beneficiary also affects how inherited distributions are taxed.

The transfer rules at Guideline vary across 7 retirement accounts. Below is a breakdown of beneficiary options, trust funding, and which products support each method.

401(k) PlanSafe Harbor 401(k)Starter 401(k)Solo 401(k)Traditional IRARoth IRASEP IRA
1
Log in at https://my.guideline.com
2
Open the beneficiary section for your account type:
  • 401(k): Account Settings, then Beneficiary Designation
  • IRA: Settings, then Personal Settings, then the Beneficiaries tab, then Edit in the IRA section
3
Add each beneficiary:
  • Name, relationship, and percentage allocation (must total 100%)
  • For a trust: trust name and trust date -- Guideline tells participants to have an estate attorney confirm the trust qualifies
  • Charities, minors, and your estate can also be named
4
Complete the spousal consent step if you are married and naming a non-spouse primary beneficiary on the 401(k)
5
Save the designation
Online Portal→

Required Documents

  • Trust name, date established, and tax ID (EIN or SSN)

Special Requirements

  • 401(k): up to 10 primary and 10 secondary beneficiaries
  • IRA: no stated limit on the number of beneficiaries as long as allocations total 100%
  • Marriage overrides your designation by law: your spouse automatically becomes sole primary beneficiary of the 401(k)
  • Notarized written spousal consent is required to name a non-spouse primary beneficiary -- and again for any later change to a different beneficiary
  • Divorce does NOT automatically revoke a former spouse's rights to the account; the participant must update the designation
  • Trusts, charities, minors, and your estate can all be named as beneficiaries
  • If a primary beneficiary cannot inherit, their share is split evenly among the surviving primary beneficiaries
  • If you name your ESTATE as beneficiary, Guideline says the executor may need to produce a notarized Small Estate Affidavit to claim the funds
  • Beneficiary designations control over a will -- the will does not reach a 401(k) or IRA with a valid designation on file
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust Editorial·Updated July 12, 2026

Sources

  • help.guideline.com
  • guideline.com

Data sourced from Guideline primary sources (18 pages reviewed). How we research.

Download these Guideline instructions

Download instructions for the whole estate→

A printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against Guideline primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.

Guideline

Subsidiary of Gusto, Inc.

guideline.com→
Guideline logo
Phone1-888-344-5188
Emailsupport@retirement.gusto.com
Mailing Address

Gusto, Inc., Attn: Retirement Care, 1201 16th Street, Suite 350, Denver, CO 80202

IRA Support
1-888-810-3801
Rollovers & Distributions
1-888-498-2766
Plan Sponsors & Administrators
1-888-588-0719
Onboarding Plans
1-888-588-0446
Gusto Retirement Pro Partners
1-888-588-4698
Sales & New Plan Inquiries
1-888-228-3491 ext. 1
WebsiteLearn more→
Phone1-888-344-5188
Emailsupport@retirement.gusto.com
Mailing Address

Gusto, Inc., Attn: Retirement Care, 1201 16th Street, Suite 350, Denver, CO 80202

IRA Support
1-888-810-3801
Rollovers & Distributions
1-888-498-2766
Plan Sponsors & Administrators
1-888-588-0719
Onboarding Plans
1-888-588-0446
Gusto Retirement Pro Partners
1-888-588-4698
Sales & New Plan Inquiries
1-888-228-3491 ext. 1
WebsiteLearn more→

Gusto Retirement Care -- Participant Support (death claims)

Phone1-888-344-5188
Toll-Free1-888-344-5188
Emailsupport@retirement.gusto.com
Mailing Address

Gusto, Inc., Attn: Retirement Care, 1201 16th Street, Suite 350, Denver, CO 80202

WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026

Estate planning articles

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