How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at Jackson
Covers 20 insurance accounts — beneficiaries can be managed online
Service Center
Jackson, P.O. Box 24068, Lansing, MI 48909-4068 (overnight: Jackson, 1 Corporate Way, Lansing, MI 48951)
Claims Department
Jackson, P.O. Box 30503, Lansing, MI 48909-8003
Jackson Claims Department
Jackson, P.O. Box 30503, Lansing, MI 48909-8003 (overnight: Jackson, 1 Corporate Way, Lansing, MI 48951)
For Jackson policyholders, estate planning comes down to one critical step: making sure the right beneficiaries are named on every policy. Insurance proceeds bypass probate entirely and go directly to whoever is listed—regardless of what a will says. When estate tax planning or controlled distributions are a factor, a trust can be named as beneficiary instead.
With 20 product types, Jackson offers a range of transfer options. Some policies support beneficiary designations, others can be retitled into a trust, and some require probate if no beneficiary is designated. The sections below break down each step.
- Annuity Service Request (X0365; N0365 in New York) — the form that changes owner, annuitant, or beneficiary on an annuity contract
- Life Service Request (X0366; N0366 in New York) — the equivalent for an in-force life insurance policy
- Beneficiary Designation Supplement (X3041; N3041 in New York) — attach when you are naming more beneficiaries than the service request has room for
- Certification of Trust (X5335; N5335 in New York) — required whenever a trust is the owner and/or the beneficiary
Required Documents
- Trust name, date established, and tax ID (EIN or SSN)
Special Requirements
- Trusts can be named as beneficiary, and a trust can also be the contract owner — Jackson requires the Certification of Trust (X5335 / N5335) in either case
- Owner-driven contracts: the contract owner's death triggers the death claim. Jackson's Death Benefit Q&A (Z2500) adds that where the owner is a legal entity such as a trust or corporation, the ANNUITANT's death is treated as the owner's death
- The owner can restrict how a beneficiary takes the money by filing a Beneficiary Designation With a Preselected Death Benefit Election (X4219 / N4219) — Jackson markets this as its "Control from the Grave" preselected death benefit
- Forms may not be reused: Jackson requires a newly completed form for every request and will not honor a reused form
- New York contracts must use the N-prefixed form versions (N0365, N3041, N4219, N5335)
Sources
Data sourced from Jackson primary sources (15 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these Jackson instructions
Download instructions for the whole estateA printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against Jackson primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
Service Center
Jackson, P.O. Box 24068, Lansing, MI 48909-4068 (overnight: Jackson, 1 Corporate Way, Lansing, MI 48951)
Claims Department
Jackson, P.O. Box 30503, Lansing, MI 48909-8003
Jackson Claims Department
Jackson, P.O. Box 30503, Lansing, MI 48909-8003 (overnight: Jackson, 1 Corporate Way, Lansing, MI 48951)
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