Estate planning at Merrill

How to protect 14 Merrill accounts — manage beneficiaries online, fund a trust in-branch, and file claims through Merrill's Merrill Life Services

Merrill

Subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation

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Merrill logo

Merrill Edge Client Services

Fax(877) 229-7160
Mailing Address

Merrill Document Processing, PO Box 31024, Tampa, FL 33631-3024

Forms Questions (24/7)
Spanish Language Support
Merrill Lynch Wealth Management Client Services (Mon-Fri 9am-9pm ET)
Merrill Advisory Center New Account Support (Mon-Fri 8am-9:30pm ET)
Benefits & Retirement Accounts (Mon-Fri 9am-9pm ET)
401(k) Customer Service (Mon-Fri 8am-7pm ET)

Merrill Life Services

Fax(917) 778-0797
Mailing Address

Merrill Document Processing, PO Box 31024, Tampa, FL 33631-3024

Merrill accounts, per Bank of America Estate Services (Mon-Fri 8am-8pm ET)
Bank of America Estate Servicing, for the decedent's bank accounts (Mon-Fri 9am-8pm ET)
Forms Questions (24/7)

Merrill Life Services (Transition Specialist team)

Fax(917) 778-0797
Mailing Address

Merrill Document Processing, PO Box 31024, Tampa, FL 33631-3024

Merrill accounts, per Bank of America Estate Services (Mon-Fri 8am-8pm ET)
Bank of America Estate Servicing — separate claim for bank accounts (Mon-Fri 9am-8pm ET)
Merrill Advisory Center, to open a receiving account (Mon-Fri 8am-9:30pm ET)
Verified Jul 2026

Merrill offers 14 consumer investment accounts that interact with estate planning in distinct ways. Of those, 11 can name a trust as beneficiary or be retitled into a trust. Understanding the transfer methods available for each account type helps families keep assets out of probate and ensure they pass to the right people.

Merrill lets account holders update beneficiary designations online, in branch, by mail, and by phone, typically taking 15-30 minutes. Trust funding is also available, allowing families to retitle brokerage accounts into a trust.

Merrill provides specific procedures for both proactive estate planning and filing claims after a death.

Reach Merrill's Merrill Life Services at 1-855-450-9015 for help with any of these procedures.

SimplyTrustSimplyTrust Editorial·

Sources

Data sourced from Merrill primary sources (15 pages reviewed). How we research.

Estate planning articles

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