How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at M1
Covers 4 investment, 2 deposit, 5 retirement, and 1 crypto accounts — beneficiaries can be managed online
Client Success
M1 Finance LLC, 200 N LaSalle St., Suite 810, Chicago, IL 60601
Client Success
M1 Finance LLC, 200 N LaSalle St., Suite 810, Chicago, IL 60601
Client Success (no dedicated bereavement or estate-claims team; in-app Messenger is the primary intake)
There are two ways to keep your M1 investment accounts out of probate: adding beneficiary designations and retitling eligible accounts into a revocable living trust. Which approach works best depends on the account type and your overall estate plan.
With 12 product types, M1 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.
- Enter each beneficiary's information, including Social Security Number
- Assign a percentage to each and mark them Primary or Contingent; totals must equal 100% using whole numbers only (e.g., 50/50 or 33/33/34)
- IMPORTANT: the online tool applies the SAME beneficiaries to every eligible M1 account. To set different beneficiaries per account, or to name a trust, use the M1 Beneficiary Form instead
Required Documents
- Trust name, date established, and tax ID (EIN or SSN)
Special Requirements
- TOD/POD designations are NOT available to Louisiana residents on any M1 account
- The online tool sets one shared beneficiary set across all eligible accounts; per-account designations require the M1 Beneficiary Form
- A trust can only be named as beneficiary through the M1 Beneficiary Form or M1 IRA Beneficiary Form (trust legal name and Tax ID required) — not through the online tool
- Up to 3 primary and 3 contingent beneficiaries per account when using the M1 Beneficiary Form
- Percentages must be whole numbers and total 100% (e.g., 50/50 or 33/33/34)
- The M1 mobile app does not support beneficiary management; use the web platform or a mobile browser
- Beneficiary changes are not effective until accepted by M1; a new designation voids the prior one for that account
- Crypto, Trust, and Custodial accounts cannot have beneficiaries
Sources
Data sourced from M1 primary sources (16 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these M1 instructions
Download instructions for the whole estateA printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against M1 primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
Client Success
M1 Finance LLC, 200 N LaSalle St., Suite 810, Chicago, IL 60601
Client Success
M1 Finance LLC, 200 N LaSalle St., Suite 810, Chicago, IL 60601
Client Success (no dedicated bereavement or estate-claims team; in-app Messenger is the primary intake)
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