Estate planning and settlement at Northern Trust
Name beneficiaries by mail, fund a trust by mail, and report a death at 1-888-289-6542
Northern Trust has 17 accounts, each with different rules for what happens when the account holder dies. Of those, 12 can name a trust as beneficiary or be retitled into a trust. The right combination of beneficiary designations and trust ownership can keep the entire portfolio out of probate.
Northern Trust lets account holders update beneficiary designations by mail. Trust funding is also available, allowing families to retitle accounts into the name of a revocable living trust.
There are two sides to estate planning at Northern Trust: setting things up while you're alive, and the process survivors follow after a death.
Beneficiaries and trust funding
How to fund a trust by mail, and review 17 account types at Northern Trust.
Preparing your estate →Death claim process
Report the death to Northern Trust's Wealth Management Client Services at 1-888-289-6542. The page lists the steps and the documents to send.
When someone dies →Reach Northern Trust's Wealth Management, Trust and Estate Services at 1-800-388-5316 for help with any of these procedures.
Because Northern Trust serves a limited number of states, procedures for trust funding and beneficiary changes may differ depending on your location. Verify availability before starting.
Sources
Data sourced from Northern Trust primary sources (19 pages reviewed). How we research.
Northern Trust customer support
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Northern Trust Securities, Inc.
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Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your Northern Trust accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
Forms for Planning Your Estate
Free forms for planning your estate: will, living trust, pour-over will, powers of attorney and TOD deed. Prepare each form for your state and download the PDF.
Last Will and Testament
Name your heirs, guardians, and final wishes. Free for every state.
Codicil to a Will
Add, revoke or replace provisions of your will and republish the rest, signed as your state requires for a will.
HIPAA Release
Name who may receive your medical records, in the authorization federal law requires, with your state's rules for sensitive records. Free for every state.
Transfer on Death Deed
Transfer real property to a beneficiary upon your death without probate. Available in 34 states and the District of Columbia.
Tools for Planning Your Estate
Free tools for planning your estate: will and trust costs, trust or TOD deed, and the signing rules. Run each tool for your state and read its answer.
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Find witness, notary, and remote signing requirements for all 50 states.
Will My Estate Documents Transfer?
Check if estate planning documents signed in one state are valid in another.
Trust or Will: Which Costs Less?
Compare the cost of probate vs a trust for your state and estate value.
How Much Does a Revocable Living Trust Cost?
Compare revocable living trust costs across providers including online services and attorneys.
How Much Does a Will Cost?
Compare will costs across providers plus probate costs your heirs will pay.
How Does SimplyTrust Compare to LegalZoom, Trust & Will, and Other Services?
Compare what it costs to make a trust official across SimplyTrust, LegalZoom, Trust & Will, Rocket Lawyer, and Quicken WillMaker.
