How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at Hancock Whitney
Covers 9 deposit, 4 retirement, and 2 lending accounts — beneficiaries must be updated in-branch
Phone1-800-448-8812
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 4019, Gulfport, MS 39502
Spanish Language Support
Financial Consultants
Treasury Services Client Support
Mortgage Support
Mortgage Loan Application
Consumer Loan Applications
Business Loan Applications
HELOC Support
WebsiteLearn more→
Client Services (estate and deceased-account claims)
Phone1-800-448-8812
Toll-Free1-800-448-8812
Mailing Address
Hancock Whitney Bank, P.O. Box 4019, Gulfport, MS 39502
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026
Estate planning for your Hancock Whitney accounts starts with understanding how each one transfers at death. Beneficiary designations and trust retitling both bypass probate, but the right approach depends on the account type, your tax situation, and how much control you want over distributions.
With 15 product types, Hancock Whitney offers a range of transfer options. Some accounts support Payable on Death (POD) designations, others can be retitled into a trust, and some require probate if no beneficiary is designated. The sections below break down each step.
Freestyle CheckingPriority CheckingAssure CheckingFreestyle SavingsSavings BuilderChristmas ClubMoney Market AccountPriority Money MarketCertificate of Deposit (CD)
1
Find a financial center at https://www.hancockwhitney.com/locations and bring government-issued photo ID
2
Ask an account representative to add a POD (Payable on Death) designation. Hancock Whitney does not publish a standalone beneficiary form on its website -- the designation is recorded on the bank's account records for the account, so it is completed with a representative rather than downloaded
3
Provide the beneficiary details the bank records:
- Full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number for each beneficiary
- Primary and contingent beneficiaries
- Distribution percentages if naming more than one beneficiary
4
Louisiana accounts only: sign the "Payable on Death" affidavit. Per the Hancock Whitney Deposit Agreement, a POD affidavit must be completed in order to establish a Payable on Death account in Louisiana -- a POD designation is not effective there without it
5
Review and sign the completed paperwork with the representative
Required Documents
- Trust name, date established, and tax ID (EIN or SSN)
Special Requirements
- Louisiana: the Deposit Agreement requires a completed "Payable on Death" affidavit to establish a POD account, and states that all Payable on Death accounts are subject to Louisiana law, including its inheritance laws. Louisiana forced heirship can give certain heirs a claim against what a POD beneficiary receives, so a POD designation on a Louisiana account is not the clean probate bypass it is in the bank's other four states
- A POD beneficiary's rights do not take priority over Hancock Whitney's right of setoff or the consensual security interest granted in the Deposit Agreement (called a statutory security interest in Louisiana). If the account owner owes the bank a debt, the bank can collect from the account before the beneficiary is paid
- Coordinate beneficiary designations with your overall estate plan to avoid conflicts with your will or trust
- Name contingent beneficiaries so the account does not fall back into the estate if a primary beneficiary predeceases you
- Review and update designations after marriage, divorce, birth, or a death in the family
Sources
Data sourced from Hancock Whitney primary sources (19 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these Hancock Whitney instructions
Download instructions for the whole estateA printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against Hancock Whitney primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
Phone1-800-448-8812
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 4019, Gulfport, MS 39502
Spanish Language Support
Financial Consultants
Treasury Services Client Support
Mortgage Support
Mortgage Loan Application
Consumer Loan Applications
Business Loan Applications
HELOC Support
WebsiteLearn more→
Client Services (estate and deceased-account claims)
Phone1-800-448-8812
Toll-Free1-800-448-8812
Mailing Address
Hancock Whitney Bank, P.O. Box 4019, Gulfport, MS 39502
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your Hancock Whitney accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
