How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at Raymond James

Covers 9 investment, and 7 retirement accounts — beneficiaries must be updated in-branch

Raymond James

Subsidiary of Raymond James Financial, Inc.

raymondjames.com
Raymond James logo

Client Services

Mailing Address

Raymond James Financial Center, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL 33716

Client Access Online Support

Raymond James Trust, N.A.

Mailing Address

Raymond James Trust, N.A., 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL 33716

Death Claims / Estate Settlement

Mailing Address

Raymond James Financial Center, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL 33716

Verified Jul 2026

There are two ways to keep your Raymond James investment accounts out of probate: adding beneficiary designations and retitling eligible accounts into a revocable living trust. Which approach works best depends on the account type and your overall estate plan.

Across 16 product types, Raymond James investment accounts vary in how they transfer at death. The sections below walk through Transfer on Death (TOD) designations, trust funding options, and which products support each method.

Raymond James Brokerage AccountJoint Brokerage AccountFreedom AccountAmbassador ProgramPassport AccountPortfolio Select Unified Managed Account (UMA)529 College Savings PlanRaymond James Trust AccountCustodial Account (UGMA/UTMA)
1
Schedule a meeting with your Raymond James financial advisor
2
Bring government-issued photo ID
3
Advisor provides the appropriate form: TOD Agreement (brokerage) or IRA Beneficiary Designation form (retirement)
4
Complete form with beneficiary details:
  • Beneficiary name, date of birth, SSN, relationship, address, and percentage allocation
  • Designate primary and contingent beneficiaries (up to 9 beneficiaries; allocations must total 100%)
5
Include additional documentation if applicable:
  • Notarized spousal consent if married and naming non-spouse on employer-sponsored plan
  • Notarized letter designating custodian if beneficiary is a minor
6
Advisor submits completed form for processing

Required Documents

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

Special Requirements

  • Advisor-centric model: nearly all beneficiary changes go through your assigned financial advisor
  • No confirmed fully self-service online beneficiary update capability via Client Access portal
  • Up to 9 beneficiaries may be designated per account
  • Separate forms for IRA beneficiary and brokerage TOD designations
  • TOD beneficiary designations supersede any will or trust provisions
  • Request confirmation of receipt and processing when submitting forms
  • Account title changes to reflect TOD (e.g., "TOD DTD MM/DD/YYYY")
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust Editorial·

Sources

Data sourced from Raymond James primary sources (25 pages reviewed). How we research.

Download these Raymond James instructions

Download instructions for the whole estate

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

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