What to do when a J.P. Morgan account holder dies
Contact J.P. Morgan's J.P. Morgan Securities Estate Settlements — 7-step process, 8 required documents, and most transfers complete within several weeks, contingent on account type and documentation completeness
J.P. Morgan Wealth Management
Phone1-800-392-5749
Toll-Free1-800-648-4782
General Chase Estate Services (Banking)
Inherited Assets/Trust Advisors
J.P. Morgan Securities Estate Settlements
Phone1-800-648-4782
General Chase Estate Services (Banking)
Inherited Assets/Trust Advisors
WebsiteLearn more→
J.P. Morgan Securities Estate Settlements
Phone1-800-648-4782
Mailing Address
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Attention: Account Processing, Mail Code: IL1-0291, 10 South Dearborn St., Chicago, IL 60603-5506
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Apr 2026
After a J.P. Morgan account holder dies, accounts with beneficiary designations or trust ownership transfer to the designated recipients without probate. Solely-owned accounts require the estate's representative to contact J.P. Morgan's J.P. Morgan Securities Estate Settlements at 1-800-648-4782 with the proper legal authority documents.
Death claims at J.P. Morgan can be started through an online portal, which streamlines the initial notification and document upload. Phone and mail options are also available.
Death claim process
Here is the step-by-step death claim process at J.P. Morgan:
Filing a claim
1
Notify J.P. Morgan Securities Estate Settlements at 1-800-648-4782 or visit a Chase branch
2
Provide initial information:
- Deceased's full legal name, Social Security Number, and account information (if known)
- Certified death certificate (can be provided at notification or once available)
- Beneficiary/fiduciary full name, SSN, email, mailing address, and relationship to deceased
3
Receive estate settlement packet with payment distribution forms
4
Submit documentation based on account type:
- For TOD accounts: beneficiary provides certified death certificate, government-issued ID, and a sworn affidavit; Letters of Administration (if used) must be dated within 60 business days of the affidavit
- For estate accounts: provide Letters Testamentary or Administration (dated within 12 months, with visible court seal)
5
Complete and return all forms per instructions enclosed in the packet
6
J.P. Morgan specialist reviews documentation and processes transfers
7
Transfer assets to existing J.P. Morgan account for most efficient processing
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate
- Government-issued ID for claimant
- Letters Testamentary or Administration (dated within 12 months, visible court seal)
- Affidavit of Domicile and Debts (if applicable by state)
- Tax waiver form (some states)
- Guardianship documents (if beneficiary is minor or incapacitated)
- W-8BEN (if beneficiary is not a U.S. citizen)
- Trust documents (if trust is named as beneficiary)
Account information will only be provided to parties with legal authority: the fiduciary of the estate, attorney acting on behalf of the estate, or a TOD/IRA beneficiary. Anyone can notify Chase of a death regardless of relationship. Transferring assets to an existing J.P. Morgan investment account is the most efficient way to receive assets. For general Chase estate services (banking), call 1-866-926-6909.
Processing timelines at J.P. Morgan: Most transfers complete within several weeks, contingent on account type and documentation completeness. Incomplete documentation is the most common cause of delays—submitting all required documents with the initial claim helps avoid additional processing time.
J.P. Morgan requires several documents to process a claim, including Certified death certificate, Government-issued ID for claimant, and Letters Testamentary or Administration (dated within 12 months, visible court seal), and additional documentation depending on the account type. Certified copies are typically needed—photocopies are generally not accepted for death certificates or court documents.
Frequently asked questions
Account information will only be released to parties with legal authority: the executor or administrator of the estate, an attorney acting on behalf of the estate, or a named TOD or IRA beneficiary. Anyone may notify J.P. Morgan of a death regardless of relationship, but that notification alone does not grant access to account details or balances.
No. Under the Transfer on Death Agreement, the named TOD beneficiaries receive account assets even if the deceased's will or living trust directs otherwise. The only exception is if the will or trust document specifically and expressly revokes the TOD designation and J.P. Morgan Securities receives timely actual notice of that revocation before distributing assets. If no notice is received, JPMS will deliver assets to the TOD beneficiaries upon presentation of proper documentation.
If a TOD beneficiary predeceases the account holder and the "Per Stirpes" option was not selected for that beneficiary, the deceased beneficiary's percentage share is divided equally among the remaining surviving beneficiaries at the same tier. If "Per Stirpes" was selected, the deceased beneficiary's share passes to their living descendants. If all beneficiaries predecease the account holder, the personal representative of the estate may present evidence of this and request that JPMS distribute the assets to the estate.
J.P. Morgan Securities will only make payments directly to the trust entity and will not distribute IRA assets to the individual beneficiaries of the trust or to sub-trusts established under it. An inherited IRA opened after the account holder's death will be maintained in the name of the trust, not in the names of the trust's beneficiaries. For the trust to qualify as a "see-through" trust under IRS rules, it must meet the requirements of Treasury Regulation 1.401(a)(9)-4 Q&A-5(b), which the account holder certifies on the IRA Beneficiary Update Request form at the time of designation.
On a TOD account held as Joint Tenants with Rights of Survivorship (JTWROS), the surviving joint owner inherits the full account — the TOD designation does not trigger on the first death. After the first death, the surviving owner has the right to change or remove TOD beneficiaries, revoke the TOD designation entirely, or withdraw assets in whole or in part. The TOD designation only takes effect upon the death of the last surviving account holder.
J.P. Morgan's J.P. Morgan Securities Estate Settlements can be reached by phone at 1-800-648-4782 for questions throughout the claims process.
Multiple J.P. Morgan investment accounts may mean multiple claims. Some account types can be processed together, but others require their own documentation. Check with the J.P. Morgan Securities Estate Settlements to confirm what applies.
J.P. Morgan Wealth Management
Phone1-800-392-5749
Toll-Free1-800-648-4782
General Chase Estate Services (Banking)
Inherited Assets/Trust Advisors
J.P. Morgan Securities Estate Settlements
Phone1-800-648-4782
General Chase Estate Services (Banking)
Inherited Assets/Trust Advisors
WebsiteLearn more→
J.P. Morgan Securities Estate Settlements
Phone1-800-648-4782
Mailing Address
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Attention: Account Processing, Mail Code: IL1-0291, 10 South Dearborn St., Chicago, IL 60603-5506
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Apr 2026
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