Estate planning at Vestwell
How to protect 12 Vestwell accounts — manage beneficiaries online, fund a trust online, and file claims through Vestwell's Saver Support
Phone(917) 979-5358
Emailhelp@vestwell.com
Mailing Address
Vestwell Holdings, Inc., 360 Madison Avenue, Floor 15, New York, NY 10017
Employer Support
Saver Support
Phone(917) 979-5358
Emailhelp@vestwell.com
Mailing Address
Vestwell Holdings, Inc., 360 Madison Avenue, Floor 15, New York, NY 10017
Verified Jul 2026
Vestwell is a retirement provider managing 12 retirement retirement accounts. These tax-advantaged accounts transfer by beneficiary designation—not by will—making it critical to keep designations current and aligned with broader estate planning goals.
Vestwell lets account holders update beneficiary designations online and by phone, typically taking 5-10 minutes. Trust funding is also available, allowing families to name a trust as the beneficiary of retirement accounts.
Vestwell has documented procedures for both preparing accounts during your lifetime and handling claims when an account holder passes away.
Preparing your estate
Beneficiaries and trust funding
How to manage beneficiaries online, fund a trust online, and review 12 account types at Vestwell.
View details →When someone dies
Death claim process
Contact Vestwell's Saver Support to file a claim. 3-step process, 6 required documents, and contact information for survivors.
View details →Vestwell's Saver Support can answer questions about beneficiaries, trusts, or death claims at (917) 979-5358. Email inquiries can be sent to help@vestwell.com.
Frequently asked questions
If no beneficiary is designated on the portal or through a Spousal Consent Form, the plan document determines who inherits the account. Typically, the plan document requires accounts to be distributed first to a surviving spouse, then according to the plan administrator's directions.
State auto-IRA programs are state-mandated retirement savings programs that automatically enroll workers whose employers do not offer a retirement plan. Vestwell powers over 85% of government retirement savings programs in the United States, including OregonSaves, MyCTSavings, MarylandSaves, Colorado SecureSavings, Maine MERIT, NY State Secure Choice, Virginia RetirePath, and New Jersey Secure Choice Savings.
A Pooled Employer Plan allows unrelated employers to join a single, professionally managed retirement plan under the SECURE Act. Vestwell serves as the Pooled Plan Provider (PPP), handling recordkeeping, payroll processing, and administration. Employers share expenses for plan documents, administration, and Form 5500 filings, making retirement plans more affordable for small businesses.
The Traditional 401(k) offers flexible employer matching and higher contribution limits, while the Starter(k) is a simplified plan enabled by the SECURE 2.0 Act with no employer match requirement and lower contribution limits. The Starter(k) is designed to make it easier for small businesses to offer a retirement plan for the first time.
Yes. Vestwell administers state-sponsored 529 Education Savings plans and is the largest ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) program provider in the United States, administering 21 state-led ABLE programs. These programs are accessed through state government partners and employer benefit platforms, not directly through Vestwell's saver portal.
Call (917) 979-5358 and press option 1 for saver/participant support, available Monday through Friday from 9:00am to 6:00pm ET. You can also email help@vestwell.com or use the live chat feature when logged in to the Saver Portal during business hours.
Yes. Log in to the Saver Portal at connect.vestwell.com, click "Change Beneficiary" from the Retirement Overview page, click "Add Beneficiary," and select "Trust" as the Type of Recipient. You will need to provide the trust name, Tax ID, holding financial institution, phone number, email, and address. Distributions to trusts are subject to 20% federal income tax withholding, as trusts are classified as non-individual beneficiaries. If you are married and naming a trust other than a spousal trust as primary beneficiary, a notarized Spousal Consent Form is required under ERISA.
Sources
Data sourced from Vestwell primary sources (18 pages reviewed). How we research.
Phone(917) 979-5358
Emailhelp@vestwell.com
Mailing Address
Vestwell Holdings, Inc., 360 Madison Avenue, Floor 15, New York, NY 10017
Employer Support
Saver Support
Phone(917) 979-5358
Emailhelp@vestwell.com
Mailing Address
Vestwell Holdings, Inc., 360 Madison Avenue, Floor 15, New York, NY 10017
Verified Jul 2026
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your Vestwell accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
