How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at Hancock Whitney
Beneficiaries are managed in branch, by phone or by mail. Trust paperwork is taken in branch
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 14 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.
- 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
Required Documents
- Beneficiary's full legal name, date of birth and Social Security number (for each beneficiary)
- Government-issued photo ID (at a financial center)
- Payable on Death affidavit (for a Louisiana account)
- Trust agreement or Certification of Trust
- Government-issued photo ID for all trustees
- Trust tax identification number (EIN) if applicable
- Review and remove any existing POD beneficiary designations, as the trust governs distribution
- Update any associated automatic payments, direct deposits, or linked accounts to reflect the new title
Required Documents
- Trust agreement or Certification of Trust
- Government-issued photo ID (for all trustees)
- Trust tax identification number (EIN) (if applicable)
- Account retitling forms. Provided at the branch
- 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
Required Documents
- Beneficiary's full legal name, date of birth and Social Security number (for each beneficiary)
- Government-issued photo ID (at a financial center)
- Payable on Death affidavit (for a Louisiana account)
What Hancock Whitney says about beneficiaries and trusts
Each section is Hancock Whitney's own statement, with the document it comes from numbered under Sources.
Which accounts take a beneficiary1
- Payable-on-death account
A POD (Payable on Death) designation is added to a deposit account at a financial center or through Client Services.1
How many beneficiaries, and how shares are split
- All accounts
Primary and contingent beneficiaries can be named, with distribution percentages when naming more than one beneficiary.1
What Hancock Whitney's agreement says about beneficiaries1
- Claims against the account
A POD beneficiary's rights do not take priority over the bank's right of setoff or the consensual security interest granted in the Deposit Agreement, called a statutory security interest in Louisiana.2
State requirements Hancock Whitney statesLouisiana
Trust account forms Hancock Whitney issues1
- Account retitling forms
For trust accounts. Provided at a branch.3
What Hancock Whitney says about trust accounts1
- Automatic payments and direct deposits
Linked services, automatic payments and direct deposits are updated to reflect the new title.3
Accounts handled elsewhere1
- Hancock Whitney Trust & Asset Management
Professional trustee services for trust assets3
Phone: 1-800-651-9227
Not in Hancock Whitney's published guidance1
- A standalone beneficiary form on its website
Sources3
- 1.Hancock Whitney financial center locations
- 2.Hancock Whitney Deposit Agreement
- 3.Hancock Whitney trust account guidance
Sources
Data sourced from Hancock Whitney primary sources (15 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.
Hancock Whitney estate support
Investment Management & Trust
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