The Hartford
Subsidiary of The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc. (formerly The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.)
thehartford.comHow to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at The Hartford
Beneficiaries are managed online, by phone or by mail. Trust paperwork is taken by mail
Beneficiary designations are the foundation of estate planning for The Hartford policies. Unlike bank accounts, insurance products cannot be retitled into a trust. Instead, the beneficiary designation itself determines who receives the proceeds and how quickly they're paid. Naming a trust as beneficiary is an option when more control over distributions is needed.
Across 14 product types, The Hartford policies vary in how they transfer at death. The sections below walk through beneficiary designations, trust funding options, and which products support each method.
Beneficiary form at The Hartford
Designation of Beneficiary Form For Group Insurance Policies (form LC-7749) (for life insurance policys).
Open the form →- Full legal name, SSN or Tax ID number, date of birth, relationship to you, percentage, and full street address for every beneficiary
- Percentages must total 100 percent for all primary beneficiaries and 100 percent for all contingent beneficiaries
- To name a trust, put the trust in the name field with its full legal name and trust date and the trustee as contact; the trust's EIN goes in the "SSN or Tax ID #" field
- Group policy number and certificate number (on your benefits confirmation statement)
- Employer / group policyholder name
- For a trust: exact trust name as written in the trust instrument, the date the trust was established, the trustee name and address, and the trust EIN if the trust has one
- From your employer HR department, or
- Download it from The Hartford
- Employer/Policyholder name and policy number (both required)
- Your name, SSN or Tax ID number, date of birth, address, marital status and gender, all marked required
- The designation covers all group insurance coverage issued by The Hartford for which benefits are payable to a beneficiary or survivor, unless you request otherwise in writing
- Primary beneficiaries (first in line if living at your death) with full legal name, SSN or Tax ID number, date of birth, relationship to you, percentage, and complete street address
- Contingent beneficiaries, who receive benefits only if no primary beneficiary is alive at your death, with the same fields
- Percentages must total 100 percent for all primary beneficiaries and 100 percent for all contingent beneficiaries; unstated percentages mean the named beneficiaries share equally
- For a trust: name it exactly as the instrument reads, add the trust date, and use the trust EIN in the Tax ID field
- Name the trust as primary beneficiary at 100 percent and give the trustee's address in the required address field
- To cover the case where the trust is revoked or fails, name contingent beneficiaries
- The form has room for only two primary and two contingent beneficiaries; for more, "include the additional information on a separate paper and attach it to/submit it with this form"
- If you live in one and name someone other than your spouse, have your spouse or partner sign the Community Property Consent block
- Spousal consent may not apply to ERISA plans
Required Documents
- Employer or policyholder name and policy number. Both are required on the form; it has no certificate-number field
- Group policy number and certificate number (when calling The Hartford). Both are on the benefits confirmation statement
- Your name, SSN or Tax ID number, date of birth, address, marital status and gender. All are marked required
- Each beneficiary's name, SSN or Tax ID, date of birth, relationship, percentage, address. Every field is required for every primary and contingent beneficiary
- Trust name, trust date, trustee name and address, and trust EIN (for a trust beneficiary). The EIN goes in the "SSN or Tax ID #" field; the trustee is the contact
- Certification of Trust or trust summary (for a trust beneficiary). The full trust instrument is not required to name a trust as beneficiary
- Trust EIN documentation (IRS assignment letter) (where the trust has an EIN)
- Community Property Consent, signed by your spouse or partner (if you live in a community property state and name someone other than your spouse)
Required Documents
- Hartford Funds Change of Ownership Form (MF-10078, Rev. 03/26)
- Hartford Funds Trustee Certification Form (MF-10092)
- Medallion Signature Guarantee on every current owner's signature. A Medallion-stamped form cannot be faxed
- Full legal name, SSN or Tax ID number, date of birth, relationship to you, percentage, and full street address for every beneficiary
- Percentages must total 100 percent for all primary beneficiaries and 100 percent for all contingent beneficiaries
- To name a trust, put the trust in the name field with its full legal name and trust date and the trustee as contact; the trust's EIN goes in the "SSN or Tax ID #" field
- Group policy number and certificate number (on your benefits confirmation statement)
- Employer / group policyholder name
- For a trust: exact trust name as written in the trust instrument, the date the trust was established, the trustee name and address, and the trust EIN if the trust has one
- From your employer HR department, or
- Download it from The Hartford
- Employer/Policyholder name and policy number (both required)
- Your name, SSN or Tax ID number, date of birth, address, marital status and gender, all marked required
- The designation covers all group insurance coverage issued by The Hartford for which benefits are payable to a beneficiary or survivor, unless you request otherwise in writing
- Primary beneficiaries (first in line if living at your death) with full legal name, SSN or Tax ID number, date of birth, relationship to you, percentage, and complete street address
- Contingent beneficiaries, who receive benefits only if no primary beneficiary is alive at your death, with the same fields
- Percentages must total 100 percent for all primary beneficiaries and 100 percent for all contingent beneficiaries; unstated percentages mean the named beneficiaries share equally
- For a trust: name it exactly as the instrument reads, add the trust date, and use the trust EIN in the Tax ID field
- Name the trust as primary beneficiary at 100 percent and give the trustee's address in the required address field
- To cover the case where the trust is revoked or fails, name contingent beneficiaries
- The form has room for only two primary and two contingent beneficiaries; for more, "include the additional information on a separate paper and attach it to/submit it with this form"
- If you live in one and name someone other than your spouse, have your spouse or partner sign the Community Property Consent block
- Spousal consent may not apply to ERISA plans
Required Documents
- Employer or policyholder name and policy number. Both are required on the form; it has no certificate-number field
- Group policy number and certificate number (when calling The Hartford). Both are on the benefits confirmation statement
- Your name, SSN or Tax ID number, date of birth, address, marital status and gender. All are marked required
- Each beneficiary's name, SSN or Tax ID, date of birth, relationship, percentage, address. Every field is required for every primary and contingent beneficiary
- Trust name, trust date, trustee name and address, and trust EIN (for a trust beneficiary). The EIN goes in the "SSN or Tax ID #" field; the trustee is the contact
- Certification of Trust or trust summary (for a trust beneficiary). The full trust instrument is not required to name a trust as beneficiary
- Trust EIN documentation (IRS assignment letter) (where the trust has an EIN)
- Community Property Consent, signed by your spouse or partner (if you live in a community property state and name someone other than your spouse)
Required Documents
- Hartford Funds Change of Ownership Form (MF-10078, Rev. 03/26)
- Hartford Funds Trustee Certification Form (MF-10092)
- Medallion Signature Guarantee on every current owner's signature. A Medallion-stamped form cannot be faxed
What The Hartford says about beneficiaries and trusts
Each section is The Hartford's own statement, with the document it comes from numbered under Sources.
Which accounts take a beneficiary3
- Life insurance policy
Group life and AD&D take a designation filed with the employer, not with The Hartford. The form covers all group coverage issued by The Hartford with a beneficiary or survivor benefit, unless the owner requests otherwise in writing.1
The designation form does not change legacy individual Hartford contracts. An individual life policy is handled by Prudential.2
- Annuity
The designation form does not change a legacy individual Hartford annuity. Talcott's Annuity Service Center handles beneficiary changes as a serviced request rather than self-service.2
- Investment account
LC-7749 does not reach a directly held Hartford Funds mutual fund account. That account takes its own Transfer on Death form (MF-10002).3
Who can be named1
- A trust, life insurance policys
A trust can be named as beneficiary of group life or AD&D, with the exact trust name, the date of the trust, the trust EIN in the Tax ID field, and the trustee as the contact. The certificate is not retitled; the trust is the payee and the trustee distributes under the trust's terms.1
- A trust, investment accounts
The Hartford Funds Transfer on Death form accepts a trust as the beneficiary, but only on an account registered to a single individual or as Joint Tenants with Rights of Survivorship.3
How many beneficiaries, and how shares are split
- Life insurance policy
Percentages must total 100 percent for primary beneficiaries and 100 percent for contingent beneficiaries. Where no percentages are stated, the named beneficiaries share equally.1
The form has room for two primary and two contingent beneficiaries. More go on a separate paper attached to the form, stating the owner's name.1
What a designation takes to be effective
Beneficiary forms The Hartford issues1
- Designation of Beneficiary Form For Group Insurance Policies (form LC-7749)
For life insurance policys. Available to download.1
What The Hartford's agreement says about beneficiaries2
- A designation and a will
Beneficiary designations control over a will.1
- Online access
Beneficiary Management Services (BMS) Basic is included with all group life plans: online access to add or update beneficiary information, a paper option, flexible beneficiary designation, and printable receipts.4
State requirements The Hartford statesAlaska, Arkansas, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin, PR
- Alaska
The form lists this state for community property consent.1
- Arkansas
The form lists this state for community property consent.1
- California
The form lists this state for community property consent.1
- Idaho
The form lists this state for community property consent.1
- Louisiana
The form lists this state for community property consent.1
- Nevada
The form lists this state for community property consent.1
- New Mexico
The form lists this state for community property consent.1
- Texas
The form lists this state for community property consent.1
- Washington
The form lists this state for community property consent.1
- Wisconsin
The form lists this state for community property consent.1
- PR
The form says Puerto Rico and certain tribal jurisdictions may also require community property consent.1
Which accounts a trust can hold4
- Investment account
A directly held Hartford Funds mutual fund account can be retitled into a revocable trust.3
- Life insurance policy
Group life, voluntary life and AD&D are certificates under the employer's master policy. There is no policy to retitle; the trust is named as beneficiary.2
An assignment request for a legacy individually owned Hartford life policy goes to its current servicer, Prudential, not The Hartford.2
- Annuity
An assignment request for a legacy individually owned Hartford annuity goes to its current servicer, Talcott, not The Hartford.2
- Health, long-term care or disability policy
AD&D, supplemental accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity and disability coverage cannot be named to a trust as an owner.2
What The Hartford says about trust accounts1
Accounts handled elsewhere5
- Prudential (traditional life)
Legacy individual Hartford life policies, traditional2
Phone: 1-800-243-5433
- Prudential (variable life)
Legacy individual Hartford life policies, variable2
Phone: 1-800-231-5453
- Talcott Annuity Service Center
Legacy individual Hartford annuities2
Phone: 1-800-862-6668
- Hartford Funds
Directly held mutual fund accounts3
Mailing address: Hartford Funds, P.O. Box 219060, Kansas City, MO 64121-9060
- The Hartford Portability and Conversion Unit
Converting a group certificate to an individual contract2
Phone: 1-877-320-0484
Fax: 1-440-646-9339
Mailing address: The Hartford, Portability and Conversion Unit, P.O. Box 43786, Cleveland, OH 44143-0786
Sources4
- 1.Designation of Beneficiary Form For Group Insurance Policies (form LC-7749)
- 2.The Hartford employee benefits
- 3.Hartford Funds Change of Ownership and Trustee Certification forms
- 4.Life Essentials Core brochure
Sources
Data sourced from The Hartford primary sources (15 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these The Hartford instructions
Download instructions for the whole estateA printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against The Hartford primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
The Hartford estate support
Customer Service (The Hartford, Group Benefits Division)
Phone
Toll-free
Portability & Conversion Unit
Hours
Mailing address
Website
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