Skip to main content
SimplyTrust
SimplyTrust
Create a TrustNewForms & ToolsFreeResourcesStates
LoginGet started
Company
AboutCareersContactFormsCreate a TrustNew
Privacy PolicyTerms of ServiceSecurityAI Access

© 2026 SimplyTrust Software Inc.

SimplyTrust Logo

Every family deserves a plan. We'll help.

Get startedApp StoreGoogle Play

Forms

  • Revocable Trust
  • Last Will
  • Pour-Over Will
  • Healthcare Proxy
  • Financial POA
  • Transfer on Death Deed

Tools

  • Trust vs Will
  • Probate Calculator
  • Who Inherits
  • Estate Settlement
  • Death Tax Calculator
  • Life Insurance

Learn

  • Revocable Living Trusts
  • Last Will and Testaments
  • Articles
  • State Guides
  • Estate Law
  • Life Events

Directories

  • Law Firms
  • Financial Assets
  • Digital Assets
  • Government Agencies

Company

  • About
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Create a Trust

SimplyTrust is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice, legal counsel, or attorney review. Information on this platform is for general informational purposes only. Use of SimplyTrust does not create an attorney-client relationship. You are solely responsible for all documents you create. For advice tailored to your circumstances, consult a licensed attorney in your state.

© 2026 SimplyTrust Software Inc. All rights reserved.

Privacy Policy·Terms of Service·Security··AI Access

All content, data, and calculations are proprietary. Automated scraping, systematic downloading, or data extraction is prohibited under our Terms of Service. Product visuals are simulated for illustrative purposes and may differ from actual experience. Logos provided by Logo.dev.

A will is a wish. A trust is a plan.

Create and manage your trust online.

How it works

No probate. No public record. No court.

Estate Ledger

Every decision signed, timestamped, and hashed

Pricing

Simple, transparent pricing

Download

Get the app on iOS and Android

Home→Financial Institutions→Northwest→Preparing your estate

How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at Northwest

Covers 10 deposit, 2 retirement, 1 investment, and 4 lending accounts — beneficiaries must be updated in-branch

OverviewPreparing your estateWhen someone dies

Northwest

Subsidiary of Northwest Bancshares, Inc.

northwest.bank→
N

Customer Contact Center

Phone1-877-672-5678
Emailinfo@northwest.com
Mailing Address

Northwest Bank, P.O. Box 128, Warren, PA 16365

Mortgage Helpline
1-888-884-4626
Trust & Estate Planning
1-814-452-1000
International
1-814-728-7818
Debit/ATM Card Lost/Stolen (after hours)
1-800-472-3272
Credit Card Lost/Stolen
1-888-999-3359
Credit Card (International)
1-531-233-6393
Fraud Detection (SMS alerts)
1-833-735-1892
Fraud Detection (Call Center)
1-833-735-1894
Shareholder Relations
1-877-715-0499
WebsiteLearn more→

Trust & Estate Planning (Wealth Management)

Phone1-814-452-1000
Toll-Free1-877-672-5678
WebsiteLearn more→

Death Claims / Estate Settlement

Phone1-877-672-5678
Mailing Address

Northwest Bank, P.O. Box 128, Warren, PA 16365

Verified Apr 2026

Preparing your Northwest 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.

The transfer rules at Northwest vary across 17 accounts. Below is a breakdown of beneficiary options, trust funding, and which products support each method.

Affinity CheckingAffinity Plus CheckingAffinity Premier CheckingStatement SavingsHigh-Yield SavingsAffinity Money MarketAffinity Plus Money MarketAffinity Premier Money MarketCertificate of Deposit (CD)Health Savings Account (HSA)
1
Visit your local Northwest Bank financial center with government-issued photo ID
2
Add or update your POD beneficiary designation:
  • Request to add or update a POD (Payable on Death) beneficiary on your deposit account
  • Provide beneficiary details: full name, relationship, and contact information
3
Review and sign the beneficiary designation form with a banker

Required Documents

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

Special Requirements

  • Beneficiary designations on deposit accounts are managed as Totten Trust (In Trust For) arrangements per the Deposit Account Agreement (revised 08/12/2024)
  • The account owner/trustee may change the beneficiary by written direction to the bank at any time during their lifetime
  • Beneficiaries have no rights to the funds during the account owner's lifetime
  • Named beneficiaries override your will
  • If there is no surviving beneficiary upon the death of the last trustee, state law determines ownership of the funds

Northwest

Subsidiary of Northwest Bancshares, Inc.

northwest.bank→
N

Customer Contact Center

Phone1-877-672-5678
Emailinfo@northwest.com
Mailing Address

Northwest Bank, P.O. Box 128, Warren, PA 16365

Mortgage Helpline
1-888-884-4626
Trust & Estate Planning
1-814-452-1000
International
1-814-728-7818
Debit/ATM Card Lost/Stolen (after hours)
1-800-472-3272
Credit Card Lost/Stolen
1-888-999-3359
Credit Card (International)
1-531-233-6393
Fraud Detection (SMS alerts)
1-833-735-1892
Fraud Detection (Call Center)
1-833-735-1894
Shareholder Relations
1-877-715-0499
WebsiteLearn more→

Trust & Estate Planning (Wealth Management)

Phone1-814-452-1000
Toll-Free1-877-672-5678
WebsiteLearn more→

Death Claims / Estate Settlement

Phone1-877-672-5678
Mailing Address

Northwest Bank, P.O. Box 128, Warren, PA 16365

Verified Apr 2026

Estate planning articles

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

Estate planning articles

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

Social Security Administration Notification After Death in Hawaii

Social Security Administration Notification After Death in Hawaii

Learn how Social Security Administration notification after someone passes works.
Estate Settlement
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialApril 24, 2026
Gathering Recent Tax Returns After Someone Passes Away

Gathering Recent Tax Returns After Someone Passes Away

Learn about gathering recent tax returns after someone passes away.
Estate Settlement
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialApril 24, 2026
Collecting Business Documents After Someone Passes Away

Collecting Business Documents After Someone Passes Away

Essential guide to collecting business documents after someone passes away.
Estate Settlement
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialApril 24, 2026
Collecting Real Estate Documents After Someone Passes Away

Collecting Real Estate Documents After Someone Passes Away

Essential steps for gathering property deeds, tax records, and ownership documents after someone passes away.
Estate Settlement
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialApril 24, 2026
Gathering Financial Account Statements After Someone Passes Away

Gathering Financial Account Statements After Someone Passes Away

Learn how to gather financial account statements after someone passes away.
Estate Settlement
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialApril 23, 2026
Collecting and Forwarding Mail After Someone Passes Away

Collecting and Forwarding Mail After Someone Passes Away

Learn who can legally collect mail after someone passes away.
Estate Settlement
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialApril 23, 2026