What to do when a William Blair account holder dies

Expected timelines at William Blair: Varies by account type and estate complexity. TOD/beneficiary claims can process in days to weeks once a certified death certificate and beneficiary identification are provided; accounts requiring probate proceed only after Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration are issued. Delays are almost always caused by incomplete paperwork—gathering all required documents before filing the initial claim helps avoid back-and-forth.

Documentation required by William Blair includes Certified death certificate (multiple copies), Government-issued ID for executor, trustee, or claimant, and Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if going through probate), along with additional paperwork that varies by account type. All death certificates and court documents must be certified copies.

William Blair's Private Wealth Management / Wealth Strategy can be reached by phone at 1-800-730-6003 and email at PWM@williamblair.com for questions throughout the claims process.

If the deceased held multiple William Blair investment accounts, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The Private Wealth Management / Wealth Strategy can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.