To fill out a Transfer on Death beneficiary designation form, get the correct form from the institution that holds the asset, enter the account or property details exactly as they appear in that institution’s records, name your primary and contingent beneficiaries with their full legal information, choose a distribution method if the form asks, sign it with the required authentication, and return it to the same institution. The form sits dormant until your death, when the named beneficiary claims the asset directly without probate. Each asset type uses its own paperwork, so the first move is matching the form to what you’re trying to transfer.
Gather the Information Before You Start
Pull a recent account statement or the property deed first. The asset description on your form has to match the institution’s records exactly; a transposed digit in an account number is enough to get the form rejected.
For each beneficiary you plan to name, you’ll need:
- Full legal name spelled exactly as it appears on their government-issued ID. A mismatch can stall the transfer.
- Social Security Number or Taxpayer Identification Number. For a trust, use the trust’s TIN; for a charity, its EIN.
- Date of birth, which distinguishes people with common names.
- Current mailing address. Not every form asks, but many institutions want it so they can reach the beneficiary later.
You’ll also need the asset identifiers themselves: the account number for a financial account, the VIN and title number for a vehicle, or the legal property description from the deed for real estate.
Get the Right Form for the Asset
There is no universal TOD form. The document you need depends on what you’re designating.
For bank and brokerage accounts, the institution provides its own proprietary form. You can usually download it from the online portal, request it by phone, or pick one up at a branch. Most of these forms are built on the Uniform Transfer on Death Securities Registration Act, which has been adopted in nearly every state.
For motor vehicles, your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles issues a specific beneficiary designation form or includes a TOD section on the title application. Not every state allows TOD on vehicles, so check with your DMV before you plan around it.
For real estate, roughly 32 states and Washington, D.C. permit Transfer on Death deeds. You typically get the form from your county recorder’s office or draft one that meets your state’s statutory requirements. Real estate deeds carry a recording step that no other TOD form does, covered below.
Naming Your Beneficiaries
The form will identify you as the owner, describe the asset, and then ask who inherits. Two decisions matter more than the rest: who is named, and what happens if that person dies before you.
Primary and Contingent Beneficiaries
Primary beneficiaries are first in line. If you name more than one, you assign each a percentage share that adds up to 100%. Contingent beneficiaries step in only if every primary has already died by the time you do. Leaving the contingent line blank is one of the most common mistakes. If your sole primary beneficiary predeceases you and no contingent is listed, the asset can end up in probate anyway, which is the outcome the form exists to prevent.
Per Stirpes or Per Capita
Many forms ask you to pick between two distribution methods. Per stirpes means that if one of your beneficiaries dies before you, that person’s share passes down to their own heirs. Per capita means the deceased beneficiary’s share is divided among the surviving named beneficiaries, and nothing goes to the deceased beneficiary’s family. Name your three children per stirpes, and if one dies, that child’s kids inherit the parent’s share. Per capita would split the same share between your two surviving children instead. Mark the choice clearly.
Naming a Minor
Most institutions will not pay directly to anyone under 18. To leave a TOD asset to a child, name an adult custodian under the Uniform Transfers to Minors Act on the form itself. The typical format is: “Jane Smith, as custodian for Alex Smith under the [State] UTMA.” The custodian manages the funds until the child reaches the age set by your state’s UTMA statute, usually 18 or 21. Without a named custodian, a court may need to appoint a guardian before the asset can be released.
Naming a Trust or Charity
You can name a revocable living trust. Use the trust’s full legal name and the date it was created, such as “The John Smith Revocable Trust, dated March 15, 2020.” Naming the trust rather than individuals gives you more control over how funds are distributed after your death, especially across generations. For a charity, use the official legal name and EIN so the institution can verify it.
Signature Authentication
A completed form is not valid until your signature is properly verified, and the type of verification depends on the asset.
Securities and Brokerage Accounts
Designating beneficiaries on stocks, bonds, and other securities usually requires a Medallion Signature Guarantee. This is a stamp issued by a financial institution participating in a recognized medallion program, and it is stricter than notarization because the guaranteeing institution assumes financial liability if the signature turns out to be fraudulent.1Investor.gov. Medallion Signature Guarantees: Preventing the Unauthorized Transfer of Securities The guarantee is part of the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program (STAMP), which underpins most securities transfers in the United States.2Securities Transfer Association. STAMP Many institutions provide the stamp free to existing account holders. If you’re not a customer, expect to pay between $10 and $100.
Bank Accounts and Real Estate
Most banks accept a notarized signature on a standard TOD form rather than a medallion guarantee. Real estate TOD deeds must be notarized in every state that allows them. Notary fees for a simple signature run from the single digits to about $15 in most states.
Submitting the Form
Banks and brokerages increasingly accept secure digital uploads through their portals, but some still require a physical form mailed or hand-delivered. If you mail it, use certified mail with return receipt requested so you have proof of delivery. After the institution processes it, you should receive written confirmation or see the beneficiary status reflected on your next account statement. Keep that confirmation somewhere accessible; your executor or beneficiaries may need it later to prove the designation was on file.
The Extra Step for Real Estate Deeds
Real estate TOD deeds work differently from account designations, and the stakes for getting the details wrong are higher. The single most important rule is this: the deed must be signed, notarized, and recorded with the county clerk or recorder’s office in the county where the property sits, before you die. An unrecorded TOD deed is worthless no matter how carefully it was filled out. Recording fees vary by county, generally between $10 and $90.
The deed must contain all the elements of a standard recordable deed: your name as the transferor, the beneficiary’s name, a legal description of the property matching the one in your current deed, and a statement that the transfer takes effect at your death. Some states require specific statutory language. Because requirements vary, having the deed reviewed before recording can prevent a later challenge. While you’re alive, the beneficiary has no ownership interest, and you can sell, mortgage, or refinance the property freely without their consent.
Changing or Revoking a Designation
A TOD designation is fully revocable at any time. Your named beneficiaries have no rights to the asset, no access to the account, and no say in whether you change the form tomorrow. To update or revoke, file a new form with the institution that replaces the old one. The most recently dated document controls.
One point that catches people off guard: your will does not override a TOD designation. If your will leaves everything to your daughter but your brokerage account still names your ex-spouse as the TOD beneficiary, your ex-spouse gets the brokerage account. The contractual designation on file with the institution takes precedence over instructions in a will or trust. To remove someone, you have to submit updated paperwork directly to the institution holding the asset.
After a Divorce
A growing number of states follow the Uniform Probate Code’s approach, which automatically revokes any beneficiary designation naming a former spouse once a divorce is finalized.3The 193rd General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Mass General Laws c190B Section 2-804 Not every state has adopted this rule, and federal accounts such as employer retirement plans may be governed by federal law that does not automatically revoke. The safest step after a divorce is to file a new designation form immediately rather than rely on any automatic revocation statute.
Power of Attorney Limits
In most states, an agent acting under a power of attorney cannot change your beneficiary designations unless the POA document explicitly grants that specific authority. A general or even broad POA usually isn’t enough. If an agent changes beneficiaries improperly, the estate or an affected beneficiary can challenge the change in court after the owner’s death.