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OceanFirst

Subsidiary of OceanFirst Financial Corp.

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Estate planning options at OceanFirst

Preparing your OceanFirst 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 OceanFirst vary across 12 accounts. Below is a breakdown of beneficiary options, trust funding, and which products support each method.

No beneficiary form at OceanFirst

FreeStyle CheckingFreshStart CheckingStatement SavingsSaveFirst Statement SavingsHoliday ClubFirstWave Money MarketCertificate of DepositKidSaveSmart
1
When opening a personal checking, savings, money market or CD account online at open.oceanfirst.com, the application offers an optional step to add one or more beneficiaries.
2
For an existing account, contact personal banking customer care at 1-888-623-2698 (live agents Monday-Friday 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM ET, Saturday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM ET), or a branch.

What OceanFirst says about beneficiaries and trusts

Each section is OceanFirst's own statement, with the document it comes from numbered under Sources.

Which accounts take a beneficiary2

Payable-on-death account

A beneficiary can be added when a personal checking, savings or money market account is opened online.1

Certificate of deposit

A beneficiary can be added when a CD is opened online.1

What OceanFirst's agreement says about beneficiaries1

The institution's right to refuse a designation or an account title

OceanFirst reserves the right to refuse some forms of ownership and beneficiary designations on any of its accounts.2

State requirements OceanFirst statesNew Jersey, New York

New Jersey

At a New Jersey branch, ownership of a P.O.D. or revocable trust account cannot be changed by will. The people who created the account keep the right to change beneficiaries or P.O.D. payees, change the account type, and withdraw funds at any time.2

At a New Jersey branch, beneficiaries or P.O.D. payees cannot withdraw unless all parties who created the account have died and the beneficiary or payee is then living. Two or more who survive all the parties own the account in equal shares, without right of survivorship.2

New York

At a New York branch, beneficiaries of a revocable trust account cannot withdraw unless all parties who created the account have died and the beneficiary is then living. Two or more who survive all the parties own the account in equal shares.2

What OceanFirst says about trust accounts3

Who signs for the trust

Under OceanFirst's Terms and Conditions, an account "may be opened and maintained by a person or persons named as a trustee under a written trust agreement."2

Review of the trust document

By opening such an account, OceanFirst is not acting as trustee and does not undertake to monitor or enforce the terms of the trust.2

Whether a new account is opened

OceanFirst's online application offers only consumer and business customer types, with no trust product.1

State requirements OceanFirst statesNew Jersey

New Jersey

At a New Jersey branch, OceanFirst's right of setoff against a due and payable debt an account holder owes it does not apply where "the debtor's right of withdrawal only arises in a representative capacity."2

Accounts handled elsewhere1

OceanFirst Trust and Asset Management

Acting as trustee or co-trustee of revocable, irrevocable, testamentary, special needs and charitable remainder trusts3

Not in OceanFirst's published guidance6

  • A beneficiary designation form
  • Beneficiary procedure for an existing account
  • What the owner provides to name a beneficiary
  • A procedure for holding an account in a trust
  • A trust account form
  • Which trust documents it accepts

Sources3

SimplyTrustSimplyTrust Editorial·

Sources

Data sourced from OceanFirst primary sources (14 pages reviewed). How we research.

Download these OceanFirst instructions

Download instructions for the whole estate

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

OceanFirst estate support

Trust and Asset Management

Trust & Investments consultations

Verified Sep 2026

Estate planning articles

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

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