How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at RBC Wealth Management
Covers 8 investment, 3 deposit, and 5 retirement accounts — beneficiaries must be updated in-branch
General Inquiries
RBC Wealth Management, Attn: Client Support Services, 250 Nicollet Mall, Suite 1800, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1931
Professional trustee services - trust consultants who refer clients to independent corporate trust partners. RBC does not name the partners publicly and cannot itself serve as trustee.
The decedent's branch financial advisor is the claims path. General Inquiries routes an executor with no advisor relationship; Branch Relations (833-547-2296) handles accounts closed and purged before the death.
RBC Wealth Management, Attn: Client Support Services, 250 Nicollet Mall, Suite 1800, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1931
There are two ways to keep your RBC Wealth Management 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.
RBC Wealth Management has 16 product types, and the estate transfer rules differ across them. Some support Transfer on Death (TOD) designations, some can be retitled into a trust, and others will require probate if nothing is set up. Each is covered below.
- Provide each beneficiary's full legal name, date of birth, SSN, relationship, address, and percentage allocation
- Designate primary and contingent beneficiaries with allocations totaling 100%
Required Documents
- Trust name, date established, and tax ID (EIN or SSN)
Special Requirements
- Advisor-centric model: RBC's own Client Support FAQ routes every beneficiary change through the assigned financial advisor. There is no self-service beneficiary screen in RBC Wealth Management Online.
- RBC publishes no downloadable US beneficiary or TOD form. Anyone offering you an "RBC beneficiary form" found online is likely showing you a CANADIAN RBC or RBC Royal Trust document, which the U.S. broker-dealer does not use.
- A TOD registration governs the transfer of that account at death and overrides what the will says about it; the will only reaches assets with no beneficiary and no surviving joint owner
- Name contingent beneficiaries. Without one, an account whose primary beneficiary predeceases you falls back into the probate estate.
- IRAs cannot be retitled to a trust - the trust can only be named as beneficiary. RBC issues a separate IRA beneficiary designation for that.
Sources
Data sourced from RBC Wealth Management primary sources (17 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these RBC Wealth Management instructions
Download instructions for the whole estateA printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against RBC Wealth Management primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
General Inquiries
RBC Wealth Management, Attn: Client Support Services, 250 Nicollet Mall, Suite 1800, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1931
Professional trustee services - trust consultants who refer clients to independent corporate trust partners. RBC does not name the partners publicly and cannot itself serve as trustee.
The decedent's branch financial advisor is the claims path. General Inquiries routes an executor with no advisor relationship; Branch Relations (833-547-2296) handles accounts closed and purged before the death.
RBC Wealth Management, Attn: Client Support Services, 250 Nicollet Mall, Suite 1800, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1931
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your RBC Wealth Management accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
Is this your situation?
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
New Baby or Adoption
Your family is growing. Your protection should too. Guardian nominations, trusts for minors, beneficiary updates, and the documents new parents need in place.
Learn more
Marriage
What married couples need in place: one joint trust or two, wills, beneficiary updates, and the spousal rights your state grants you automatically.
Learn more
New Home
How to put your house in a revocable trust: the deed you record, what it does to your mortgage and property taxes, and when a TOD deed is simpler.
Learn more
Retirement
Retirement changes your financial picture. Healthcare directives, beneficiary reviews, long-term care planning, and protecting what you've built.
Learn moreMore estate planning resources
Explore related tools and documents to complete your estate plan.
How Much Does Probate Cost?
Estimate attorney fees, executor fees, court costs, and timeline for probating an estate in your state. See if the estate qualifies for simplified probate procedures.
Who Inherits Without a Will?
Find out who inherits your estate and how much they get if you die without a will. Based on your state's intestate succession laws.
How Much Are Estate & Inheritance Taxes?
Calculate federal estate tax, state estate tax (12 states + DC), and inheritance tax (5 states) for an estate or trust.
What Does Estate Planning Actually Cost?
See the true cost of estate planning. Compare SimplyTrust, Trust & Will, LegalZoom, and attorneys including life events like marriage, divorce, and having children.
How Much Does a Revocable Living Trust Cost?
Compare the cost of creating a revocable living trust. See how SimplyTrust, Trust & Will, LegalZoom, and attorneys compare over 5 years including life events.
How Much Does a Will Cost?
Compare the cost of creating a will. See document costs plus probate fees your heirs will pay. Compare SimplyTrust, Trust & Will, LegalZoom, and attorneys.
