How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at TIAA
Covers 15 retirement, 2 investment, and 2 insurance accounts — beneficiaries can be managed online
Death Benefits
Phone1-800-842-2776
Toll-Free1-800-842-2776
Fax1-800-914-8922
Mailing Address
TIAA, P.O. Box 1267, Charlotte, NC 28201-1267
Verified May 2026
Estate planning for TIAA retirement retirement accounts revolves around beneficiary designations. These designations—not a will—control who receives the account balance at death. For IRAs and employer-sponsored plans, the beneficiary designation also determines the tax treatment of inherited distributions, making it a decision with both legal and financial implications.
With 19 product types, TIAA offers a range of transfer options. Some retirement accounts support beneficiary designations on tax-advantaged accounts, others can be retitled into a trust, and some require probate if no beneficiary is designated. The sections below break down each step.
TIAA Brokerage AccountTIAA-CREF Mutual Funds (Retail)
1
Log in and navigate to beneficiary management
- Log in to your account at https://www.tiaa.org/public/account/profile
- Navigate to Profile, then select Manage Beneficiaries
- Or go to Actions, then All Accounts, then Add/Edit Beneficiaries
2
Enter beneficiary details and allocation
- Select the account to update and choose primary or contingent designation
- Enter beneficiary name, relationship, date of birth, SSN, and percentage allocation
- For trusts: select Trust as beneficiary type and provide trust name, date, and EIN
3
Review and submit your designation
- Review and submit your designation
Required Documents
- Trust name, date established, and tax ID (EIN or SSN)
Special Requirements
- Trusts can be named as beneficiaries on all TIAA account types
- Testamentary trusts require the will creation date at time of designation
- Spousal consent required for ERISA-covered plans (403(b), 401(a)) if naming non-spouse as primary beneficiary
- Spouse entitled to at least 50% of death benefits under ERISA plans unless waived in writing
- "Will" alone is not acceptable as a beneficiary designation
- Use full legal names on all forms (e.g., "Martha B. Doe" not "Mrs. John Doe")
- Different beneficiary forms required for different account types (retirement, brokerage, IRA, life insurance, non-qualified annuity)
Death Benefits
Phone1-800-842-2776
Toll-Free1-800-842-2776
Fax1-800-914-8922
Mailing Address
TIAA, P.O. Box 1267, Charlotte, NC 28201-1267
Verified May 2026
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your TIAA accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
