What Happens to Your Fidelity Investments Account When You Die
Quick Facts
Deadline
None — assets protected
Difficulty
Moderate
Documents
Death cert + probate + court order
Step-by-Step Guide
List all Fidelity accounts
Document brokerage, IRA, 401(k), HSA, and any other account numbers at Fidelity.
Estimated time: 10 min
Set up TOD beneficiaries
Add Transfer on Death beneficiaries to brokerage accounts. These bypass probate entirely.
Estimated time: 15 min
Check IRA/401k beneficiaries
Verify that retirement account beneficiaries are current. These are separate from your will.
Warning: Outdated beneficiaries override your will — update them now.
Estimated time: 10 min
Executor contacts Fidelity
Call 1-800-544-6666 or visit fidelity.com/estate-services with Death Certificate and legal documents.
Document Now Checklist
- All account numbers
- Current beneficiary designations
- Estimated account values
- Account types (IRA, brokerage, etc.)
Last verified: June 2026. Platform policies may change. Verify current procedures directly with Fidelity Investments. This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
Related Guides
PayPal
PayPal balances are estate assets. Recurring payments continue until cancelled by executor.
Venmo
Venmo balance is an estate asset. Family cannot access the social feed or transaction history directly.
Cash App
If you hold Bitcoin in Cash App, document this separately — crypto recovery requires additional steps.
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