Estate planning options at Sunmark
The goal with your Sunmark accounts is to make sure every account has a transfer mechanism in place—either a POD beneficiary designation or trust ownership. Because Sunmark is a membership-based institution, trust retitling must maintain the membership eligibility requirement. Accounts without either one pass through the estate, by probate or the state's small-estate procedure.
Sunmark has 17 accounts with different estate transfer rules. Here is how beneficiary designations, trust ownership, and probate apply to each one.
Beneficiary form at Sunmark
Sunmark Membership Application (EFORM 17543-1), Payable on Death (P.O.D) Account section (for payable-on-death accounts).
Open the form →- Name and address
- Relationship
- Date of birth
- Social Security number
Required Documents
- Beneficiary's name and address (for each P.O.D beneficiary)
- Beneficiary's relationship (for each P.O.D beneficiary)
- Beneficiary's date of birth (for each P.O.D beneficiary)
- Beneficiary's Social Security number (for each P.O.D beneficiary)
Beneficiary designation is not available for investment accounts at Sunmark.
- Name and address
- Relationship
- Date of birth
- Social Security number
Required Documents
- Beneficiary's name and address (for each P.O.D beneficiary)
- Beneficiary's relationship (for each P.O.D beneficiary)
- Beneficiary's date of birth (for each P.O.D beneficiary)
- Beneficiary's Social Security number (for each P.O.D beneficiary)
What Sunmark says about beneficiaries
Each section is Sunmark's own statement, with the document it comes from numbered under Sources.
Which accounts take a beneficiary4
- Payable-on-death account
The P.O.D beneficiaries listed on the Membership Application apply to all of the member's accounts except IRAs.1
- IRA
IRA beneficiaries require a separate designation form. The P.O.D beneficiaries on the Membership Application do not apply to IRAs.1
- Health savings account
HSA beneficiaries require a separate designation form.1
- Coverdell education savings account
ESA beneficiaries require a separate designation form.1
How many beneficiaries, and how shares are split
- Payable-on-death account
The application has spaces for two P.O.D beneficiaries. At the death of the last account owner, ownership of a P.O.D account is divided equally among the surviving beneficiaries listed.1
Beneficiary forms Sunmark issues1
What Sunmark's agreement says about beneficiaries1
- Changing or revoking a designation
The application authorizes Sunmark to follow the member's written or verbal instructions to add joint owners or beneficiaries to the member's accounts.1
Not in Sunmark's published guidance1
- Submission channel for the payable-on-death designation
Sources
Data sourced from Sunmark primary sources (10 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these Sunmark instructions
Download instructions for the whole estateA printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against Sunmark primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
Sunmark estate support
Member Solutions Center
Phone
Toll-free
Hours
Mailing address
Website
Estate requests go through general customer service.
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