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OverviewPreparing your estateWhen someone dies
OverviewPreparing your estateWhen someone dies
SimplyTrust forms
Letter of Instruction
Home→Financial Institutions→State Street→Preparing your estate

How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at State Street

Covers 2 investment, and 2 retirement accounts — beneficiaries can be updated by phone

State Street

Brokerage · Nationwide

statestreet.com→
State Street logo

Shareholder Service Center (Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM-8:00 PM ET)

Phone1-800-242-0134
Emailfund_inquiry@ssga.com
Mailing Address

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

International
203-326-4040
Online Account Access Support
1-888-898-6641
ETFs and Mutual Funds (general inquiries)
1-866-787-2257
WebsiteLearn more→

Shareholder Service Center (Estate/Survivor Services)

Phone1-800-242-0134
Mailing Address

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

WebsiteLearn more→

Shareholder Service Center (Death Claims / Survivor Services)

Phone1-800-242-0134
Mailing Address

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

WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026

There are two ways to keep your State Street 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.

State Street has 4 investment accounts with different estate transfer rules. Here is how beneficiary designations, trust ownership, and probate apply to each one.

SPDR ETFsState Street Funds (Mutual Funds)
1
Call the Shareholder Service Center at 1-800-242-0134 (Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM-8:00 PM ET)
2
Request assistance with the correct form:
  • Speak with a Shareholder Service Associate for guidance on the correct form
  • Request forms to be mailed or access them at ssga.com under Forms and Documents

Required Documents

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

Special Requirements

  • Married residents of community property states must provide notarized spousal consent to designate a non-spouse as primary IRA beneficiary
  • TOD designation is not available for accounts owned by entities (trusts, corporations, partnerships), Tenants in Common, or community property registrations
  • TOD is only available to residents of states that have adopted the Uniform Transfer on Death Security Registration Act
  • Up to nine beneficiaries may be designated per account; to designate more than nine, split the investment into separate accounts
  • SPDR ETF beneficiary designation is handled by the holding brokerage, not State Street
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust Editorial·Updated July 8, 2026

Sources

  • ssga.com
  • investors.statestreet.com
  • statestreet.com

Data sourced from State Street primary sources (14 pages reviewed). How we research.

Download these State Street instructions

Download instructions for the whole estate→

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

State Street

Brokerage · Nationwide

statestreet.com→
State Street logo

Shareholder Service Center (Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM-8:00 PM ET)

Phone1-800-242-0134
Emailfund_inquiry@ssga.com
Mailing Address

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

International
203-326-4040
Online Account Access Support
1-888-898-6641
ETFs and Mutual Funds (general inquiries)
1-866-787-2257
WebsiteLearn more→

Shareholder Service Center (Estate/Survivor Services)

Phone1-800-242-0134
Mailing Address

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

WebsiteLearn more→

Shareholder Service Center (Death Claims / Survivor Services)

Phone1-800-242-0134
Mailing Address

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

WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026

Estate planning articles

Learn how to protect your State Street accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.

When you're ready, we're here.

A revocable living trust skips probate, stays private, and takes 15 minutes.

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Estate planning articles

Learn how to protect your State Street accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.

Reimbursable Trustee Expenses: A Clear Overview

Reimbursable Trustee Expenses: A Clear Overview

Which trustee expenses does a trust reimburse?
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Refundable Executor Expenses: What Estates Cover

Learn which out-of-pocket costs executors recover from estates.
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Dave Ramsey on Trusts: What We Agree and Disagree On

Dave Ramsey on Trusts: What We Agree and Disagree On

Dave Ramsey on trusts: any estate plan at all is a good thing. We agree about that. There's one thing we don't agree with him about on trusts, though.
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Jean Chatzky on Estate Planning: It’s a Gift

On estate planning, Jean Chatzky's most important reframe may be the simplest one. She says estate planning isn’t about your passing, it’s about your love for family.
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SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialJuly 6, 2026
Robert Kiyosaki on Trusts: A Structural Necessity

Robert Kiyosaki on Trusts: A Structural Necessity

According to Robert Kiyosaki, trusts are a necessity for everyone, not only the wealthy.
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Ramit Sethi on Estate Planning: Start With a Living Trust

Ramit Sethi on Estate Planning: Start With a Living Trust

Ramit Sethi on estate planning: start with a living trust and have regular conversations with your heirs about how to manage finances when the trust becomes active.
Trusts
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Is this your situation?

Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.

New Baby or Adoption

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.

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Marriage

Marriage

What married couples need in place: one joint trust or two, wills, beneficiary updates, and the spousal rights your state grants you automatically.

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New Home

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.

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Retirement

Retirement

Retirement changes your financial picture. Healthcare directives, beneficiary reviews, long-term care planning, and protecting what you've built.

Learn more