How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at William Blair

The transfer-on-death form applies to non-retirement accounts held directly with William Blair Funds.¹

The Individual Retirement Account Change of Beneficiary form applies to William Blair Funds IRAs.²

A sole owner may designate a TOD registration.¹

Joint owners holding as joint tenants with rights of survivorship may designate a TOD registration.¹

A UTMA or UGMA custodian may not designate a TOD.¹

A trust can be named. On the TOD form it is described by the name of the present trustee, the name of the trust (if any) and the date of the trust.¹

The IRA form lists Trust among the beneficiary relationships.²

Multiple beneficiaries receive equal shares unless percentages totaling 100% are stated.¹

A Lineal Descendants Per Stirpes designation must be written as "LDPS".¹

The IRA form lists primary and contingent beneficiaries, each with a relationship of Spouse, Non-Spouse Individual, Trust or Entity, with shares totaling 100%.²

All registered account owners sign the TOD form.¹

If an owner is married and designates a beneficiary other than the spouse, the spouse signs the spousal consent section. This is not needed where co-owners are married to each other.^{1, 2}

For investment accounts. Completed by all registered account owners. Available to download.¹

Return to

For IRAs. Available to download.²

Return to

Changing or revoking a TOD designation requires a letter of instruction signed by the account owner, or by all owners on a joint account.¹

For a minor beneficiary, William Blair Funds may transfer the proceeds to a custodian it selects under the applicable state's Uniform Transfers to Minors Act.¹

The Main Account Application's trust document list covers accounts held directly with William Blair Funds.³

For Private Wealth Management accounts, William Blair's Form ADV Part 2A Appendix 1 lists trusts among Wrap Fee Program client types.⁴

For investment accounts. Available to download.³

Return to