How to designate beneficiaries at Public
Beneficiaries are managed online
The key to protecting your Public 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.
Public has 8 investment accounts with different estate transfer rules. Here is how beneficiary designations, trust ownership, and probate apply to each one.
- Tap the menu icon in the top left corner
- Tap Settings, then Profile, then Personal information
- Tap Beneficiaries, tap the IRA account, and tap the +Add button in the top right corner
- Click the menu icon in the top right corner
- Scroll down on the Personal Information page
- Click Beneficiaries, select the IRA account, and tap the +Add button in the top right corner
- Adding a beneficiary in the app is not available; contact Member Support through in-app chat or at support@public.com to add a TOD registration
- Tap the menu icon in the top left corner
- Tap Settings, then Profile, then Personal information
- Tap Beneficiaries, tap the IRA account, and tap the +Add button in the top right corner
- Click the menu icon in the top right corner
- Scroll down on the Personal Information page
- Click Beneficiaries, select the IRA account, and tap the +Add button in the top right corner
- Adding a beneficiary in the app is not available; contact Member Support through in-app chat or at support@public.com to add a TOD registration
- Tap the menu icon in the top left corner
- Tap Settings, then Profile, then Personal information
- Tap Beneficiaries, tap the IRA account, and tap the +Add button in the top right corner
- Click the menu icon in the top right corner
- Scroll down on the Personal Information page
- Click Beneficiaries, select the IRA account, and tap the +Add button in the top right corner
- Adding a beneficiary in the app is not available; contact Member Support through in-app chat or at support@public.com to add a TOD registration
Beneficiary designation is not available for cryptocurrency at Public.
What Public says about beneficiaries and trusts
Each section is Public's own statement, with the document it comes from numbered under Sources.
Which accounts take a beneficiary2
Who can be named3
- A person, IRAs
The Apex IRA custodial agreement lets the owner designate one or more persons as beneficiary, in the app or on the website.3
- An entity other than a trust or a business, IRAs
The Apex IRA custodial agreement lets the owner designate one or more entities as beneficiary, in the app or on the website.3
- Someone outside the United States, investment accounts
Public cannot transfer securities ownership to a non-U.S. person. For a TOD beneficiary outside the U.S., Public liquidates the account and wires the funds, and further restrictions may apply depending on the beneficiary's country of residence.4
Which accounts a trust can hold1
- Custodial account (UTMA/UGMA)
Public does not offer custodial accounts.5
What Public says about trust accounts1
- Whether a new account is opened
Public lists Trust Accounts as coming soon on its product menu. No trust-titled account can be opened today, and no existing account can be retitled to a trust.6
Not in Public's published guidance5
- What the owner provides to name a beneficiary
- A TOD form name
- A mailed TOD process
- A procedure for holding an account in a trust
- Which trust documents it accepts
Sources
Data sourced from Public primary sources (25 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these Public instructions
Download instructions for the whole estateA printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against Public primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
Public estate support
Member Support
Hours
Mailing address
Website
Estate requests go through general customer service.
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