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Northwestern Mutual Investment Services

Subsidiary of The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

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How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at Northwestern Mutual Investment Services

Beneficiaries are managed by phone. Trust paperwork is taken in branch

The key to protecting your Northwestern Mutual Investment Services investment accounts is making sure each one has a transfer mechanism in place—either a beneficiary designation or trust ownership. Without one, the account goes through probate, adding time, cost, and court involvement for your family.

Each of Northwestern Mutual Investment Services's 13 investment accounts has different rules for how it transfers at death. The sections below explain the options for each.

Standard Brokerage AccountSignature Advisory ProgramsTrust Account (Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company)Joint Brokerage AccountBrokered Certificate of DepositPrivate Wealth Management529 Education Savings PlanCustodial Account (UGMA/UTMA)
1
Open the brokerage account through a Northwestern Mutual financial advisor, who walks the account owner through the process, including signing an Account Agreement and other necessary forms.

Required Documents

  • Account Agreement and other account-opening forms. Supplied by the financial advisor

What Northwestern Mutual Investment Services says about beneficiaries and trusts

Each section is Northwestern Mutual Investment Services's own statement, with the document it comes from numbered under Sources.

Which accounts a trust can hold1

Investment account

Trust-owned accounts are among the account types NMIS services.1

The Signature Portfolios advisory program is open to trusts.2

For margin, a trust must provide a written certification that it has the ability to borrow against assets.3

What Northwestern Mutual Investment Services says about trust accounts1

Who signs for the trust

The Client General Account Agreement treats the trustees of an account owned by a nonnatural person as its authorized agents.1

Accounts handled elsewhere2

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Beneficiary changes on life insurance, universal life, income annuities and income plans5, 6

Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company

Trust services, including the Trust Alliance program, where a partner serves as trustee2

Not in Northwestern Mutual Investment Services's published guidance3

  • What the owner provides to name a beneficiary
  • An online way to name a beneficiary
  • A list of the trust documents it requires

Sources6

  1. 1.NMIS Client General Account Agreement (92-0024 (0526))
  2. 2.Signature Portfolios Disclosure Brochure
  3. 3.Guide to Brokerage Services, October 1, 2025
  4. 4.Brokerage accounts and services
  5. 5.FAQ
  6. 6.Contact us
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust Editorial·

Sources

Data sourced from Northwestern Mutual Investment Services primary sources (14 pages reviewed). How we research.

Download these Northwestern Mutual Investment Services instructions

Download instructions for the whole estate

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

Northwestern Mutual Investment Services estate support

Customer Service Center (Investment Client Services for investment products)

NMIS Online help desk (forgotten user ID or password)

1-866-664-7737 (option 3)7:30am-5:00pm CST

Corporate headquarters

1-414-271-1444

Hours

Monday-Friday 7:00 AM-6:00 PM CT

Mailing address

Correspondence other than investment checks: Northwestern Mutual, P.O. Box 2958, Milwaukee, WI 53201. Investment checks (include the Pershing account number on the face of each check): non-retirement, regular mail: Pershing LLC, P.O. Box 382121, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-8121; rollover/IRA contribution, regular mail: Pershing LLC, P.O. Box 382084, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-8084.

Estate requests go through general customer service.

Verified Sep 2026

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