What to do when a State Street account holder dies
Contact State Street's Shareholder Service Center (Estate/Survivor Services) — 4-step process, 8 required documents, and processing times vary; contact the shareholder service center for current estimates after submitting documentation
Shareholder Service Center (Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM-8:00 PM ET)
State Street Global Advisors, c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, P.O. Box 219238, Kansas City, MO 64121-9238 | Overnight: 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202-5207
Shareholder Service Center (Estate/Survivor Services)
State Street Global Advisors, c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, P.O. Box 219238, Kansas City, MO 64121-9238 | Overnight: 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202-5207
Shareholder Service Center (Death Claims / Survivor Services)
State Street Global Advisors, c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, P.O. Box 219238, Kansas City, MO 64121-9238 | Overnight: 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202-5207
When an account holder at State Street passes away, the next step depends on how the investment accounts were set up. Accounts with beneficiary designations or trust ownership transfer outside of probate. Accounts titled solely in the deceased's name require the estate's legal representative to work with State Street's Shareholder Service Center (Death Claims / Survivor Services) (1-800-242-0134) to access and distribute the funds.
Death claims at State Street can be started through an online portal, which streamlines the initial notification and document upload. Phone and mail options are also available.
Death claim process
The death claim process at State Street works as follows:
Filing a claim
- Call the Shareholder Service Center at 1-800-242-0134 to report the death and receive instructions
- Complete the Survivor Reregistration and Redemption Options Form, selecting the appropriate relationship (estate, beneficiary, surviving owner, or successor/surviving trustee)
- If a TOD beneficiary was designated on a non-IRA mutual fund account: provide a death certificate and valid ID; proceeds transfer to designated beneficiary(ies) without probate
- If an IRA account with named beneficiaries: complete the Beneficiary IRA Payout Form to initiate distributions
- If no beneficiary or TOD designation exists: the estate must be established with a Tax Identification Number (TIN/EIN); obtain letters testamentary or small estate affidavit as required by state law
- If a trust is the account owner: provide trust documentation, successor trustee identification, and instructions for re-registration or redemption
- Regular mail: State Street Global Advisors, c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, P.O. Box 219238, Kansas City, MO 64121-9238
- Overnight/express delivery: State Street Global Advisors, c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202-5207
Required Documents
- Certified copy of death certificate
- Valid government-issued photo ID for claimant (beneficiary, executor, or successor trustee)
- Completed Survivor Reregistration and Redemption Options Form (for mutual fund accounts)
- For TOD accounts: identification for each TOD beneficiary
- For IRA accounts with beneficiaries: completed Beneficiary IRA Payout Form
- For estate claims (no beneficiary): letters testamentary or letters of administration, or small estate affidavit (state-specific)
- For estate claims: Estate Tax Identification Number (EIN) issued by the IRS
- For trust-owned accounts: Certification of Trust or relevant trust pages showing successor trustee authority
What to know at this institution
SPDR ETF shares held in a retail brokerage account are subject to that broker's death claim process—not State Street's. State Street's direct estate settlement process applies only to State Street Funds mutual fund accounts and IRA accounts serviced through U.S. Bancorp Fund Services as transfer agent. For estate accounts, the estate must remain open (with an active EIN) until the account balance is fully distributed. Beneficiary IRA distributions must begin by December 31 of the year following the account owner's date of death.
Prepare your letter of instruction to State Street
State Street provides its own letter-of-instruction form. Answer a few questions and we complete that official form for you to print and sign.
Build your letter of instructionHow long the process takes at State Street: Processing times vary; contact the Shareholder Service Center for current estimates after submitting documentation. The most common reason for delays is missing or incomplete documentation, so submitting everything upfront is the best way to keep things moving.
State Street requires several documents to process a claim, including Certified copy of death certificate, Valid government-issued photo ID for claimant (beneficiary, executor, or successor trustee), and Completed Survivor Reregistration and Redemption Options Form (for mutual fund accounts), and additional documentation depending on the account type. Certified copies are typically needed—photocopies are generally not accepted for death certificates or court documents.
Frequently asked questions
TOD registration is available to individual account owners and joint accounts held as Joint Tenants with Right of Survivorship or Tenants by the Entireties. TOD is not available for Tenants in Common, community property registrations, or accounts owned by entities such as trusts, corporations, or partnerships. Additionally, TOD requires the account owner to reside in a state that has adopted the Uniform Transfer on Death Security Registration Act.
Up to nine beneficiaries may be designated per account using the Transfer on Death Designation Form. If you wish to designate more than nine beneficiaries, you can split your investment into separate accounts and designate up to nine beneficiaries on each.
State Street's Shareholder Service Center (Death Claims / Survivor Services) can be reached by phone at 1-800-242-0134 for questions throughout the claims process.
If the deceased held multiple State Street investment accounts, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The Shareholder Service Center (Death Claims / Survivor Services) can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.
Sources
Data sourced from State Street primary sources (14 pages reviewed). How we research.
Shareholder Service Center (Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM-8:00 PM ET)
State Street Global Advisors, c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, P.O. Box 219238, Kansas City, MO 64121-9238 | Overnight: 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202-5207
Shareholder Service Center (Estate/Survivor Services)
State Street Global Advisors, c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, P.O. Box 219238, Kansas City, MO 64121-9238 | Overnight: 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202-5207
Shareholder Service Center (Death Claims / Survivor Services)
State Street Global Advisors, c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, P.O. Box 219238, Kansas City, MO 64121-9238 | Overnight: 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202-5207
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your State Street accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
Is this your situation?
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
More tools for handling this estate
Calculators and checklists for executors and trustees.
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.
How Much Can an Executor Charge?
Calculate how much an executor (personal representative) can charge for administering an estate. See if your state has statutory fees or uses reasonable compensation.
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.
What's Fair Trustee Compensation?
Find out what's fair compensation for serving as trustee. Compare family, professional, and corporate trustee rates based on your situation.
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.
How Many Death Certificates Do I Need?
Calculate how many certified death certificates you need based on the assets and accounts you need to close. See state-specific ordering information.
