Estate planning at WaFd Bank
How to protect 12 WaFd Bank accounts — manage beneficiaries in-branch, fund a trust in-branch, and file claims through WaFd Bank's Client Care / Estate Services
Phone1-800-324-9375
Toll-Free1-800-324-9375
Mailing Address
WaFd Bank, 425 Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98101
Client Care / Estate Services
Phone1-800-324-9375
Mailing Address
WaFd Bank, 425 Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98101
WebsiteLearn more→
Phone1-800-324-9375
Mailing Address
WaFd Bank, 425 Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98101
Verified Apr 2026
WaFd Bank offers 12 consumer accounts that interact with estate planning in distinct ways. Of those, 12 can name a trust as beneficiary or be retitled into a trust. Understanding the transfer methods available for each account type helps families keep assets out of probate and ensure they pass to the right people.
Managing beneficiaries at WaFd Bank is straightforward—changes can be made in branch, by mail, and by phone, typically taking 15-30 minutes in branch; longer by mail. Trust funding is also available, allowing families to retitle accounts into the name of a revocable living trust.
WaFd Bank 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 update beneficiaries in-branch, fund a trust in-branch, and review 12 account types at WaFd Bank.
View details →When someone dies
Death claim process
Contact WaFd Bank's Client Care / Estate Services to file a claim. 4-step process, 9 required documents, and contact information for survivors.
View details →Reach WaFd Bank's Client Care / Estate Services at 1-800-324-9375 for help with any of these procedures.
WaFd Bank operates in select states, so estate planning procedures may vary by location. Confirm availability in your state before initiating trust funding or account changes.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. WaFd Bank is FDIC insured. POD beneficiaries receive separate FDIC insurance coverage of up to $250,000 per beneficiary. Trust accounts are also insured up to the maximum allowed by FDIC rules, based on the number of qualifying beneficiaries named in the trust.
Yes. A trust can be named as POD beneficiary on WaFd Bank deposit accounts (checking, savings, money market, CDs). Provide a copy of the trust certification along with the completed beneficiary designation form. For IRA accounts, a trust can also be named as beneficiary on the IRA beneficiary designation form.
Visit a WaFd Bank branch with your Certification of Trust or full trust agreement, government-issued photo ID for all trustees, and the trust tax identification number (EIN or grantor SSN). A banker will complete the trust account application and retitle your deposit accounts into the trust name. IRA accounts cannot be retitled to a trust.
WaFd Bank offers Traditional and Roth IRAs, each available as an IRA CD, IRA Savings, or IRA Money Market account. Contributions may be tax-deductible for Traditional IRAs; Roth IRA withdrawals are tax-free in retirement. WaFd Bank provides no-fee rollovers and transfers from other institutions. IRAs cannot be retitled to a trust; beneficiary designation is the only transfer method.
WaFd Bank has over 200 branches across nine states: Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and California. California branches were added in 2024 through the acquisition of Luther Burbank Savings. Branch locations can be found at https://www.wafdbank.com/locations.
The Fresh Start Account is a BankOn Certified second-chance checking account for individuals who have been denied a traditional account due to a negative ChexSystems report. The reported account(s) must not be classified as fraud and must have been paid in full. After 12 months of good standing, customers can upgrade to WaFd Bank Free Checking.
Sources
Data sourced from WaFd Bank primary sources (18 pages reviewed). How we research.
Phone1-800-324-9375
Toll-Free1-800-324-9375
Mailing Address
WaFd Bank, 425 Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98101
Client Care / Estate Services
Phone1-800-324-9375
Mailing Address
WaFd Bank, 425 Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98101
WebsiteLearn more→
Phone1-800-324-9375
Mailing Address
WaFd Bank, 425 Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98101
Verified Apr 2026
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your WaFd Bank accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
