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OverviewPreparing your estateWhen someone dies
OverviewPreparing your estateWhen someone dies
SimplyTrust forms
Letter of Instruction
Home→Financial Institutions→LPL Financial→Preparing your estate

How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at LPL Financial

Covers 9 investment, and 8 retirement accounts — beneficiaries can be managed online

LPL Financial

Subsidiary of LPL Financial Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: LPLA)

lpl.com→
LPL Financial logo

Investor Account Support

Phone1-800-558-7567
Toll-Free1-800-558-7567
Fax(858) 202-8500
Mailing Address

LPL Financial, Attn: Trade Direct, P.O. Box 6565, Fort Mill, SC 29716

Trade Direct Client Services
1-855-575-9656
General Inquiries
1-800-877-7210

LPL Financial Investor Account Support / The Private Trust Company N.A.

Phone1-800-558-7567
Fax(858) 202-8500
Mailing Address

LPL Financial, Attn: Trade Direct, P.O. Box 6565, Fort Mill, SC 29716

Trade Direct Client Services
1-855-575-9656
General Inquiries
1-800-877-7210
WebsiteLearn more→

Investor Account Support / Trade Direct

Phone1-800-558-7567
Toll-Free1-800-558-7567
Fax(858) 202-8500
Mailing Address

LPL Financial, Attn: Trade Direct, P.O. Box 6565, Fort Mill, SC 29716

Trade Direct Client Services
1-855-575-9656
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026

Preparing your LPL Financial investment accounts for estate transfer involves two primary strategies: designating beneficiaries on individual accounts and, where supported, retitling accounts into a revocable living trust. Both approaches bypass probate, but they work differently depending on the account type.

With 17 product types, LPL Financial offers a range of transfer options. Some investment accounts support Transfer on Death (TOD) designations, others can be retitled into a trust, and some require probate if no beneficiary is designated. The sections below break down each step.

Individual Brokerage AccountJoint Brokerage Account (JTWROS)Personal Wealth Portfolios (PWP)Model Wealth Portfolios (MWP)Manager Select - Separately Managed Account (SMA)Manager Select - Model Portfolio (MP)Guided Wealth Portfolios (GWP)Rep as Portfolio Manager AccountTrust Investment Account
1
Log in to LPL Account View
2
Navigate to the Beneficiaries tab and click "Update" next to the account you want to modify
3
Enter beneficiary information for primary and contingent designations:
  • Full legal name, relationship, date of birth, SSN, and address for each beneficiary
  • Percentage allocations totaling 100%
  • For trusts as beneficiary: provide trust name, date established, and tax ID number
4
Specify Per Stirpes or Pro Rata distribution preference
5
Submit changes electronically; your financial advisor receives a notification
Online Portal→

Required Documents

  • Trust name, date established, and tax ID (EIN or SSN)

Special Requirements

  • Online beneficiary updates via Account View are not available for 403(b) accounts, 401(k) accounts, Coverdell accounts, or joint non-retirement accounts
  • Online beneficiary updates are not available in community property states (AZ, CA, ID, LA, NV, NM, TX, WA, WI)
  • TOD available if authorized under applicable state law
  • Per Stirpes distribution: if a beneficiary predeceases the account holder, their share passes to their descendants
  • Pro Rata (default): if a beneficiary predeceases the account holder, their share is divided among remaining beneficiaries
  • If no primary or contingent beneficiaries survive, the spouse is deemed the beneficiary
  • Spousal consent may be required in community property states
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust Editorial·Updated July 7, 2026

Sources

  • lpl.com
  • investor.lpl.com
  • theprivatetrustcompany.com
  • brokercheck.finra.org

Data sourced from LPL Financial primary sources (21 pages reviewed). How we research.

Download these LPL Financial instructions

Download instructions for the whole estate→

A printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against LPL Financial primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.

LPL Financial

Subsidiary of LPL Financial Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: LPLA)

lpl.com→
LPL Financial logo

Investor Account Support

Phone1-800-558-7567
Toll-Free1-800-558-7567
Fax(858) 202-8500
Mailing Address

LPL Financial, Attn: Trade Direct, P.O. Box 6565, Fort Mill, SC 29716

Trade Direct Client Services
1-855-575-9656
General Inquiries
1-800-877-7210

LPL Financial Investor Account Support / The Private Trust Company N.A.

Phone1-800-558-7567
Fax(858) 202-8500
Mailing Address

LPL Financial, Attn: Trade Direct, P.O. Box 6565, Fort Mill, SC 29716

Trade Direct Client Services
1-855-575-9656
General Inquiries
1-800-877-7210
WebsiteLearn more→

Investor Account Support / Trade Direct

Phone1-800-558-7567
Toll-Free1-800-558-7567
Fax(858) 202-8500
Mailing Address

LPL Financial, Attn: Trade Direct, P.O. Box 6565, Fort Mill, SC 29716

Trade Direct Client Services
1-855-575-9656
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026

Estate planning articles

Learn how to protect your LPL Financial accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.

When you're ready, we're here.

A revocable living trust skips probate, stays private, and takes 15 minutes.

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Estate planning articles

Learn how to protect your LPL Financial accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.

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Reimbursable Trustee Expenses: A Clear Overview

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Dave Ramsey on Trusts: What We Agree and Disagree On

Dave Ramsey on Trusts: What We Agree and Disagree On

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On estate planning, Jean Chatzky's most important reframe may be the simplest one. She says estate planning isn’t about your passing, it’s about your love for family.
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Robert Kiyosaki on Trusts: A Structural Necessity

According to Robert Kiyosaki, trusts are a necessity for everyone, not only the wealthy.
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Ramit Sethi on Estate Planning: Start With a Living Trust

Ramit Sethi on estate planning: start with a living trust and have regular conversations with your heirs about how to manage finances when the trust becomes active.
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Is this your situation?

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New Baby or Adoption

New Baby or Adoption

Your family is growing. Your protection should too. Guardian nominations, trusts for minors, beneficiary updates, and the documents new parents need in place.

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Marriage

Marriage

What married couples need in place: one joint trust or two, wills, beneficiary updates, and the spousal rights your state grants you automatically.

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New Home

New Home

How to put your house in a revocable trust: the deed you record, what it does to your mortgage and property taxes, and when a TOD deed is simpler.

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Retirement

Retirement

Retirement changes your financial picture. Healthcare directives, beneficiary reviews, long-term care planning, and protecting what you've built.

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