How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at HSBC
Covers 5 deposit, 1 investment, 2 retirement, and 2 lending accounts — beneficiaries must be updated in-branch
Phone716-841-6866
Toll-Free1-888-662-4722
Mailing Address
HSBC Bank USA, N.A., P.O. Box 9, Buffalo, NY 14240
Premier (US/Canada, 24/7)
Personal Banking
Personal Banking (international)
Mortgage Customer Service
Premier Mortgage Customer Service
Private Bank Mortgage Customer Service
Lost or Stolen Cards (24/7)
WebsiteLearn more→
Phone716-841-6866
Toll-Free1-888-662-4722
Mailing Address
HSBC Bank USA, N.A., P.O. Box 9, Buffalo, NY 14240
Premier (US/Canada, 24/7)
Personal Banking
Personal Banking (international)
Mortgage Customer Service
Premier Mortgage Customer Service
Private Bank Mortgage Customer Service
Lost or Stolen Cards (24/7)
WebsiteLearn more→
Bereavement support (handled on the Premier line; HSBC publishes no separate estates department or bereavement mailing address)
Phone716-841-6866
Toll-Free1-888-662-4722
Mailing Address
HSBC Bank USA, N.A., P.O. Box 9, Buffalo, NY 14240 (general deposit correspondence; Premier clients: HSBC Premier Service Center, P.O. Box 22, Buffalo, NY 14240 -- confirm the correct address on the bereavement call)
Mortgage / HELOC Successor in Interest
Legacy HSBC East Coast branch or online account, now Citizens
Legacy HSBC California retail branch account, now Cathay Bank
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026
Estate planning for your HSBC 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.
Across 10 product types, HSBC accounts vary in how they transfer at death. The sections below walk through Payable on Death (POD) designations, trust funding options, and which products support each method.
HSBC Premier CheckingHSBC Premier SavingsPremier Relationship SavingsHSBC Online Certificate of DepositNew Money Certificate of Deposit
1
Bring the printed Change or Remove a Beneficiary Package and government-issued photo ID to an HSBC Wealth Center (roughly 20 locations across CA, DC, FL, NJ, NY, VA, WA -- list at https://www.us.hsbc.com/wealth-center/list/)
2
Complete the Fiduciary Account Change Beneficiary Form with each ITF beneficiary's printed name, date of birth, and address
3
Have the form notarized by the Notary Public at the Wealth Center -- notarization is required either way, and doing it in person is the reason to go in
4
Hand the completed package to the Wealth Relationship Manager for processing
Required Documents
- Trust name, date established, and tax ID (EIN or SSN)
Special Requirements
- The Fiduciary Account Change Beneficiary Form MUST be notarized, at an HSBC Wealth Center or through an external notary service
- Beneficiary changes cannot be made online; the package is a paper form returned by mail (Attn: Account Opening, PO Box 9, Buffalo, NY 14240) or delivered at a Wealth Center
- HSBC deposit beneficiaries are "In Trust For" (ITF) designations -- a tentative or Totten trust, also known as pay-on-death. The form provides no percentage field: ITF beneficiaries take in EQUAL shares
- ITF beneficiaries have no ownership or transaction ability while any account owner is living, and after the last owner dies they may only claim the funds -- the account is closed immediately once all ITF beneficiaries have claimed
- If every ITF beneficiary dies before the last account owner, the account is handled under the rules of the relevant state -- meaning it can fall back into probate
- Property passing by ITF designation is not part of the last surviving owner's estate, so it overrides the will
Sources
Data sourced from HSBC primary sources (21 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these HSBC instructions
Download instructions for the whole estateA printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against HSBC primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
Phone716-841-6866
Toll-Free1-888-662-4722
Mailing Address
HSBC Bank USA, N.A., P.O. Box 9, Buffalo, NY 14240
Premier (US/Canada, 24/7)
Personal Banking
Personal Banking (international)
Mortgage Customer Service
Premier Mortgage Customer Service
Private Bank Mortgage Customer Service
Lost or Stolen Cards (24/7)
WebsiteLearn more→
Phone716-841-6866
Toll-Free1-888-662-4722
Mailing Address
HSBC Bank USA, N.A., P.O. Box 9, Buffalo, NY 14240
Premier (US/Canada, 24/7)
Personal Banking
Personal Banking (international)
Mortgage Customer Service
Premier Mortgage Customer Service
Private Bank Mortgage Customer Service
Lost or Stolen Cards (24/7)
WebsiteLearn more→
Bereavement support (handled on the Premier line; HSBC publishes no separate estates department or bereavement mailing address)
Phone716-841-6866
Toll-Free1-888-662-4722
Mailing Address
HSBC Bank USA, N.A., P.O. Box 9, Buffalo, NY 14240 (general deposit correspondence; Premier clients: HSBC Premier Service Center, P.O. Box 22, Buffalo, NY 14240 -- confirm the correct address on the bereavement call)
Mortgage / HELOC Successor in Interest
Legacy HSBC East Coast branch or online account, now Citizens
Legacy HSBC California retail branch account, now Cathay Bank
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your HSBC accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
