What to do when a Wells Fargo Advisors account holder dies
Contact Wells Fargo Advisors — 5-step process, 5 required documents, and processing begins once required documents are received and the representative is validated; timing varies by account type, estate complexity, and the state where the account was opened or the owner lived.
Wells Fargo Advisors / WellsTrade
Wells Fargo Advisors, Attention: MAC N9160-01P, PO Box 77046, Minneapolis, MN 55480-9902
Wells Fargo Advisors / WellsTrade
Wells Fargo Advisors, Attention: MAC N9160-01P, PO Box 77046, Minneapolis, MN 55480-9902
Estate Care Center
Wells Fargo Bank N.A., Estate Care Center, Attention: D1118-02D, PO Box 71208, Charlotte, NC 28201-1245
After an account holder at Wells Fargo Advisors 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 Wells Fargo Advisors's Estate Care Center at 1-888-790-7980 with the proper legal authority documents.
To start, call Wells Fargo Advisors at 1-888-790-7980. Have the account holder's full name, account numbers, and a certified death certificate ready before you call.
Death claim process
Here is the step-by-step death claim process at Wells Fargo Advisors:
Filing a claim
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificate (for all account types)
- WellsTrade Estate Document Checklist plus account-specific estate forms (Affidavit of Domicile; Affidavit of Decedent's Domicile and Gross Estate Assets; Letter of Authorization)
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (for non-TOD accounts requiring probate)
- Trustee Certification of Investment Powers (for trust-owned accounts)
- Medallion Signature Guarantee on the transfer request when required by Wells Fargo Advisors
Claims Contact
What to know at this institution
Inherited securities are typically moved in kind into an inherited (beneficiary) brokerage account, so cost basis and holdings are preserved rather than sold. Brokerage estate forms are submitted to Wells Fargo Advisors at MAC N9160-01P, PO Box 77046, Minneapolis, MN 55480-9902 (fax 1-844-879-1439), while the Estate Care Center in Charlotte (1-888-790-7980) coordinates the overall notification. IRAs pass to the named beneficiary and are moved into an Inherited IRA rather than the decedent's estate.
Prepare your letter of instruction to Wells Fargo Advisors
Wells Fargo Advisors asks for a letter of instruction alongside its claim form. We prepare a transmittal cover letter and the enclosure checklist Wells Fargo Advisors requires.
Build your letter of instructionExpected timelines at Wells Fargo Advisors: Processing begins once required documents are received and the representative is validated; timing varies by account type, estate complexity, and the state where the account was opened or the owner lived. Delays are almost always caused by incomplete paperwork—gathering all required documents before filing the initial claim helps avoid back-and-forth.
Wells Fargo Advisors requires several documents to process a claim, including Certified copy of the death certificate (for all account types), WellsTrade Estate Document Checklist plus account-specific estate forms (Affidavit of Domicile; Affidavit of Decedent's Domicile and Gross Estate Assets; Letter of Authorization), and Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (for non-TOD accounts requiring probate), and additional documentation depending on the account type. Certified copies are typically needed—photocopies are generally not accepted for death certificates or court documents.
Frequently asked questions
Notify Wells Fargo through the online death-notification form, the deceased's financial advisor, or the Estate Care Center at 1-888-790-7980. A certified death certificate is required for all account types. For a Transfer on Death (TOD) account, only the death certificate is needed to transfer to the named beneficiaries; accounts without a TOD designation generally require Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
Wells Fargo Advisors brokerage accounts use Transfer on Death (TOD) and securities-transfer procedures, while Wells Fargo Bank deposit accounts use Payable on Death (POD). Both flow through the same Estate Care Center (1-888-790-7980), but the documents and transfer mechanics differ by account type — investment accounts may require brokerage-specific estate forms.
Yes. A WellsTrade or advisory brokerage account can be retitled into the name of your revocable living trust using the Trustee Certification of Investment Powers, or you can use a Transfer on Death designation instead — the two are alternatives. A trust-owned account is governed by the trust agreement rather than a TOD beneficiary. IRAs cannot be retitled to a trust but can name a trust as beneficiary.
For certain transfer and ownership-change requests, Wells Fargo Advisors may require a Medallion Signature Guarantee — a bank- or broker-issued stamp that is stronger than a notarization. The Transfer on Death Kit itself is completed with beneficiary detail and, in community property states, a notarized spousal consent; but moving securities to an inherited account or retitling to a trust can require a Medallion Signature Guarantee. Confirm the requirement with WellsTrade at 1-800-TRADERS (1-800-872-3377) or your financial advisor before mailing forms.
Inherited securities are generally transferred in kind into an inherited (beneficiary) brokerage account rather than sold, so the holdings and their cost basis carry over. For a Transfer on Death account, the death certificate alone moves the assets to the named beneficiaries; without a TOD designation, the personal representative directs the account using Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration. An inherited IRA is moved into an Inherited IRA rather than the decedent's estate.
Start from the WellsTrade Estate Document Checklist, which lists the account-specific forms. Common ones are the Affidavit of Domicile, the Affidavit of Decedent's Domicile and Gross Estate Assets, and the Letter of Authorization; a trust-owned account also needs the Trustee Certification of Investment Powers. The forms are at wellsfargo.com/help/investing/wells-trade-forms/ and are mailed to Wells Fargo Advisors, MAC N9160-01P, PO Box 77046, Minneapolis, MN 55480-9902, or faxed to 1-844-879-1439.
Wells Fargo Advisors's Estate Care Center can be reached by phone at 1-888-790-7980 and fax at 1-866-358-1145 for questions throughout the claims process.
Multiple Wells Fargo Advisors investment accounts may mean multiple claims. Some account types can be processed together, but others require their own documentation. Check with the Estate Care Center to confirm what applies.
Sources
Data sourced from Wells Fargo Advisors primary sources (11 pages reviewed). How we research.
Wells Fargo Advisors / WellsTrade
Wells Fargo Advisors, Attention: MAC N9160-01P, PO Box 77046, Minneapolis, MN 55480-9902
Wells Fargo Advisors / WellsTrade
Wells Fargo Advisors, Attention: MAC N9160-01P, PO Box 77046, Minneapolis, MN 55480-9902
Estate Care Center
Wells Fargo Bank N.A., Estate Care Center, Attention: D1118-02D, PO Box 71208, Charlotte, NC 28201-1245
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