What to do when a Vanguard account holder dies
Report the death to Vanguard at 1-877-662-7447
After an account holder at Vanguard dies, accounts with beneficiary designations or trust ownership transfer to the designated recipients without probate. Solely-owned accounts require the estate's representative to contact Vanguard at 1-877-662-7447 with the proper legal authority documents.
Death claim process
To file a claim after an account holder's death, here is what Vanguard requires:
Filing a claim
- Start online if you are listed as a beneficiary by name or relationship, or are the executor or administrator for the estate.
- Or start it by phone and mention "change of ownership."
- Gather the deceased person's Social Security number, date of birth and date of passing, a copy of the death certificate, and estate documents if applicable.
- Know the type of account you are inheriting, and check with the other beneficiaries that everyone is claiming.
- A beneficiary who is disclaiming notifies Vanguard before the other beneficiaries begin the process.
- Log in, or register with Vanguard, and provide information about the person who passed away.
- Upload the supporting documents and choose where the inherited assets go.
- An executor generally can't open accounts in beneficiaries' names and can establish accounts only for the estate.
- Provide the court document authorizing you to act: Letters Testamentary, Letters of Administration, or a short certificate.
- If assets will transfer through the estate, obtain a taxpayer identification number (TIN) before they move into an estate account.
- Trust, organization and estate accounts may take longer and require special supporting documentation.
- Nonretirement assets: Change of Ownership Between Vanguard Nonretirement Accounts (Form NRCOO).
- Form NRCOO needs a notarized signature if the owners on the receiving account differ from the originating account, dated within 30 days of Vanguard's receipt.
Required Documents
- The deceased person's Social Security number, date of birth and date of passing
- Copy of the death certificate, if Vanguard cannot verify the death
- Court document appointing the executor or administrator, for an executor or administratorLetters Testamentary, Letters of Administration, or a short certificate.
- Taxpayer identification number (TIN) for the estate, if assets will transfer through the estate into an estate account
- Copy of the court appointment of the fiduciary, to open an estate accountThe estate application asks for a copy dated within 365 days on its first page, and in its mailing reminders for an original certified copy, certified within 365 days.
- Copy of the IRA owner's death certificate, for an inherited IRAAlso a copy of the death certificate of any primary beneficiary who died before the owner.
- Copy of the court appointment of the executor or legal representative, when an estate is the IRA beneficiaryDated within 365 days.
- Copies of trust agreement pages, when a trust is the IRA beneficiaryThe pages that contain the trust name and date, a listing of the trustees' names, and the signature pages.
Claims Contact
Website: Online portal →
Forms Vanguard issues7
- Change of Ownership Between Vanguard Nonretirement Accounts (Form NRCOO)
Available to download.1
- Cost Basis Step-up Due to Death Form (Form CBIS)
Completed by the authorized representative of the estate. Available to download.1
- Vanguard Brokerage Account Inherited IRA Application for Nonspouse Beneficiaries
Available to download.2
- Vanguard Brokerage Account Inherited/Assumed IRA Application for Spouse Beneficiaries
Available to download.3
- Vanguard Brokerage Account Application for Estates (Form AACPE)
Available to download.4
- Inherited Retirement Account Beneficiary Identification Form (Form FBIF)
Completed by all beneficiaries entitled to the deceased person's assets. Available to download.5
What happens to each kind of account6
- Account in one name
When assets move from an individual, estate, minor or guardian account because the owner died, Vanguard designates the shares as inherited and updates their cost basis to the fair market value on the date of death.1
- Joint account with survivorship
For joint tenants with rights of survivorship who were spouses, a 50% cost basis step-up to the date-of-death value is applied automatically on transfer to the surviving owner.1
- Trust account
For assets moving from a trust account, Vanguard does not automatically designate the shares as inherited or step up their cost basis; the Cost Basis Step-up Due to Death Form requests it.1
- Payable-on-death account
Assets covered by a Transfer on Death Plan generally transfer directly to an account in the beneficiary's name.7
- IRA
A named beneficiary's inherited IRA assets transfer into a Vanguard Inherited IRA. If no beneficiary is named, the IRA goes to the default beneficiaries under the Custodial Account Agreement.2
A spouse beneficiary can move the assets to their own IRA or to an inherited IRA in their name.3
- 529 plan
A successor account owner on file completes the Transfer Due to Death of Account Owner Form to become the new owner, attaching a certified copy of the owner's death certificate.6
With no successor on file, the plan takes direction from the executor or administrator, who sends a copy of a certified Letter of Testamentary or Letter of Administration whose original certification is within 60 days of the transfer.6
What Vanguard provides to the estate1
- Date-of-death balance letter
An executor can ask Vanguard for the fair market value of an IRA as of the owner's date of death, by phone on business days or in writing with the completed application.2
What Vanguard's agreement and guidance say4
- Telling the institution
Vanguard does not contact beneficiaries after the death of a Vanguard account owner.8
- What it does when notified
Once a transfer request is submitted, Vanguard freezes the deceased person's account to protect it from unauthorized activity.9
- Wills, probate and small estates
Vanguard takes direction only from someone legally authorized to act for the estate. When no beneficiaries are listed, assets may become part of the estate.7
Where several executors are appointed, Vanguard reviews the court documents to see who may act, and may require all necessary executors to take part when joint action is required.7
- How proceeds are paid
Vanguard transfers ownership of the assets rather than paying the beneficiary in cash.7
Sources9
- 1.Change of Ownership Between Vanguard Nonretirement Accounts (Form NRCOO), with the Cost Basis Step-up Due to Death Form (Form CBIS), Effective June 2026
- 2.Vanguard Brokerage Account Inherited IRA Application for Nonspouse Beneficiaries (Form VTONST), Effective June 2025
- 3.Vanguard Brokerage Account Inherited/Assumed IRA Application for Spouse Beneficiaries, Effective June 2025
- 4.Vanguard Brokerage Account Application for Estates (Form AACPE), Effective June 2025
- 5.Inherited Retirement Account Beneficiary Identification Form (Form FBIF), FBIF 012025
- 6.The Vanguard 529 College Savings Plan Transfer Due to Death of Account Owner Form (Form LOLONV), LOLONV 082026
- 7.What executors should know about inheriting an IRA, September 09, 2026
- 8.Adding beneficiaries to your IRAs
- 9.Inheriting a Vanguard account
Processing generally takes 5-7 business days after Vanguard receives the documents, and in rare cases up to 10.
Vanguard can be reached by phone at 1-877-662-7447 for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
Data sourced from Vanguard primary sources (26 pages reviewed). How we research.
Vanguard death claims support
Phone
Toll-free
Start an inheritance transfer
Hours
Mailing address
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