How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at Stifel
Covers 9 investment, 4 retirement, and 2 insurance accounts — beneficiaries must be updated in-branch
Stifel Support (Monday-Friday, 6:00 AM-6:00 PM CT)
Stifel Financial, One Financial Plaza, 501 North Broadway, St. Louis, MO 63102
Stifel Trust Company, N.A.
Stifel Trust Company, N.A., One Financial Plaza, 501 North Broadway, St. Louis, MO 63102
Death Claims (via Stifel Support, Monday-Friday, 6:00 AM-6:00 PM CT)
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, One Financial Plaza, 501 North Broadway, St. Louis, MO 63102
The key to protecting your Stifel investment accounts is making sure each one has a transfer mechanism in place—either a beneficiary designation or trust ownership. Without one, the account goes through probate, adding time, cost, and court involvement for your family.
Stifel has 15 investment accounts with different estate transfer rules. Here is how beneficiary designations, trust ownership, and probate apply to each one.
- Visit your Stifel financial advisor at your local branch office
- Bring government-issued photo ID
- Advisor provides the Transfer on Death Agreement and Beneficiary Designation form (for brokerage accounts) or IRA Beneficiary Designation form (for retirement accounts)
- Complete the form with each beneficiary's full legal name, relationship, date of birth, SSN, and percentage allocation
- Designate primary and contingent beneficiaries
- If married in a community property state and not naming spouse as sole primary: complete spousal consent section
Required Documents
- Trust name, date established, and tax ID (EIN or SSN)
Special Requirements
- All beneficiary changes require working through a financial advisor
- No confirmed self-service online beneficiary management
- TOD Agreement must be received and accepted by Director of Operations or designee
- Stifel recommends reviewing beneficiary designations annually and after major life events
- In community property states, spousal consent may be required when spouse is not sole primary beneficiary
Sources
Data sourced from Stifel primary sources (20 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these Stifel instructions
Download instructions for the whole estateA printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against Stifel primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
Stifel Support (Monday-Friday, 6:00 AM-6:00 PM CT)
Stifel Financial, One Financial Plaza, 501 North Broadway, St. Louis, MO 63102
Stifel Trust Company, N.A.
Stifel Trust Company, N.A., One Financial Plaza, 501 North Broadway, St. Louis, MO 63102
Death Claims (via Stifel Support, Monday-Friday, 6:00 AM-6:00 PM CT)
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, One Financial Plaza, 501 North Broadway, St. Louis, MO 63102
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