How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at Vanguard
Covers 4 investment, 1 deposit, and 7 retirement accounts — beneficiaries can be managed online
Vanguard, P.O. Box 982901, El Paso, TX 79998-2901
Personal Investor Services
Vanguard, P.O. Box 982901, El Paso, TX 79998-2901
Vanguard, P.O. Box 982901, El Paso, TX 79998-2901
Estate planning for your Vanguard investment accounts starts with understanding how each one transfers at death. Beneficiary designations and trust retitling both bypass probate, but the right approach depends on the account type, your tax situation, and how much control you want over distributions.
With 12 product types, Vanguard offers a range of transfer options. Some investment accounts support Transfer on Death (TOD) designations, others can be retitled into a trust, and some require probate if no beneficiary is designated. The sections below break down each step.
- Log in to your Vanguard account at vanguard.com
- Select Profile & Account Settings from the main navigation
- Navigate to the Beneficiaries page
- For retirement accounts: choose the account grouping (IRA, 401(k), etc.)
- For non-retirement accounts: choose the specific account
- Add primary and/or contingent beneficiaries
- Provide each beneficiary's full legal name (no nicknames), relationship, and allocation percentage
- Optionally provide SSN, address, phone number, and date of birth
- Review and confirm your designations electronically
Required Documents
- Trust name, date established, and tax ID (EIN or SSN)
Special Requirements
- Use full legal names -- nicknames may cause issues when beneficiaries inherit
- Beneficiary designations override your will
- Review beneficiaries annually, especially after births, deaths, weddings, or divorces
- Anyone can be a beneficiary, including minor children and non-family members
- For trusts as beneficiary: provide trust name and creation date (documentation needed at payout, not at designation)
- Retirement account designations replace all previous designations for the IRA types specified on the form
Sources
Data sourced from Vanguard primary sources (15 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these Vanguard instructions
Download instructions for the whole estateA printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against Vanguard primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
Vanguard, P.O. Box 982901, El Paso, TX 79998-2901
Personal Investor Services
Vanguard, P.O. Box 982901, El Paso, TX 79998-2901
Vanguard, P.O. Box 982901, El Paso, TX 79998-2901
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