How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at The Standard
Covers 24 insurance, and 5 retirement accounts — beneficiaries can be managed online
Phone800.426.4332
Mailing Address
Standard Insurance Company, 1100 SW Sixth Avenue, Portland, OR 97204
WebsiteLearn more→
Phone800.426.4332
Mailing Address
Standard Insurance Company, 1100 SW Sixth Avenue, Portland, OR 97204
WebsiteLearn more→
Life Benefits Department
Phone855.757.4714
Toll-Free800.628.8600
Fax888.414.0389
Mailing Address
Standard Insurance Company, Life Benefits Department, P.O. Box 2800, Portland, OR 97208-9929
Verified Jul 2026
For The Standard policyholders, estate planning comes down to one critical step: making sure the right beneficiaries are named on every policy. Insurance proceeds bypass probate entirely and go directly to whoever is listed—regardless of what a will says. When estate tax planning or controlled distributions are a factor, a trust can be named as beneficiary instead.
With 29 product types, The Standard offers a range of transfer options. Some policies support beneficiary designations, others can be retitled into a trust, and some require probate if no beneficiary is designated. The sections below break down each step.
401(k) Retirement Plans403(b) Retirement Plans457(b) Deferred Compensation PlansDefined Benefit PlansPooled Employer Plans (PEP)
1
For group life/AD&D: log in to your employer benefits portal or The Standard benefits portal at mybenefits.standard.com
2
Navigate to your life insurance or AD&D benefit and select the beneficiary management option
3
Designate primary beneficiaries:
- Provide full legal names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and relationships
- Assign percentage allocations totaling 100%
- Add contingent beneficiaries if desired with their own percentage allocations totaling 100%
4
For trusts: provide the full legal trust name, date established, and trustee name (e.g., "John Q. Smith -- trustee under the Mary R. Smith Trust dated 01/02/2006")
5
Review and confirm your beneficiary designations
Required Documents
- Trust name, date established, and tax ID (EIN or SSN)
Special Requirements
- Trusts, individuals, charities, and estates can be named as beneficiaries
- Primary and contingent beneficiaries allowed with percentage allocations totaling 100%
- If naming a trust as beneficiary, a valid trust must exist at the time of death; if the trust was never established, no longer exists, or has been revoked, The Standard cannot honor the designation
- Living trusts avoid probate; testamentary trusts (created within a will) pass through probate
- Provide full legal trust name and date established (e.g., "John Q. Smith -- trustee under the Mary R. Smith Trust dated 01/02/2006")
- Group life beneficiary changes may require coordination with employer HR department
- Some states require spousal consent to name a non-spouse beneficiary
Sources
Data sourced from The Standard primary sources (29 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these The Standard instructions
Download instructions for the whole estateA printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against The Standard primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
Phone800.426.4332
Mailing Address
Standard Insurance Company, 1100 SW Sixth Avenue, Portland, OR 97204
WebsiteLearn more→
Phone800.426.4332
Mailing Address
Standard Insurance Company, 1100 SW Sixth Avenue, Portland, OR 97204
WebsiteLearn more→
Life Benefits Department
Phone855.757.4714
Toll-Free800.628.8600
Fax888.414.0389
Mailing Address
Standard Insurance Company, Life Benefits Department, P.O. Box 2800, Portland, OR 97208-9929
Verified Jul 2026
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your The Standard accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
