Last verified 2026-08-17; facts checked against the primary sources below
How to claim a deceased person's Robinhood account
Last verified: August 17, 2026
The short answer: Submit Robinhood's Estates form with the deceased person's identifying information, a complete image of the death certificate, your contact details and relationship, and the front and back of your government ID. Do not initially upload a will or trust: Robinhood says its estate representative will review the notice and request the specific additional documents needed for the account.
Robinhood deceased accounts at a glance
| Account or asset | Current path |
|---|---|
| Individual brokerage with TOD beneficiary | Beneficiary contacts Robinhood; estates team coordinates transfer |
| IRA | Named beneficiary may need an inherited IRA or another permitted distribution path |
| Joint account with right of survivorship | Surviving owner contacts Robinhood to begin the ownership transfer |
| Crypto | Not currently covered by Robinhood's beneficiary process; handled as part of the estate |
| No beneficiary | Probate or an available state-law alternative may be required |
How do you report a Robinhood account holder's death?
Complete Robinhood's Estates form. Robinhood asks for:
- The deceased person's full legal name, Social Security number, date of birth, and date of death.
- A photo or copy of the death certificate with all four corners visible and the seal included if the certificate has one.
- Your name, contact information, date of birth, and relationship to the deceased.
- The front and back of your government-issued ID.
Robinhood says this initial submission helps it identify and secure the account. An estate representative then contacts the requester about the next steps.
Should you send the will or trust with the first notice?
No. Robinhood expressly says not to send wills, trusts, or other estate-planning documents with the initial submission. If it needs a particular document after reviewing the account, its estate representative will request it.
That instruction reduces unnecessary disclosure and prevents a generic document packet from delaying the review. Keep court Letters, trust certifications, beneficiary records, and small-estate documents ready, but send only what Robinhood asks for through its secure process.
What happens when the account has a TOD beneficiary?
A transfer-on-death beneficiary should contact Robinhood to begin the claim. Robinhood says its estates team will coordinate the process and generally needs the account owner's death certificate; it may also require the beneficiary's government ID and other documents.
TOD designations apply account by account. A beneficiary named on one Robinhood investing account is not automatically the beneficiary of every other Robinhood account. Confirm each account's title and designation rather than treating the portfolio as one asset.
Robinhood says TOD beneficiaries can generally receive securities, cash, and options held in the covered account, although indivisible options positions may be closed when there is more than one beneficiary.
What happens to a Robinhood IRA after death?
Robinhood IRA beneficiaries contact the estates team through the same death-notification path. A nonspouse beneficiary generally cannot simply retitle the IRA as an ordinary personal account; Robinhood says beneficiaries may need to open an inherited IRA. A surviving spouse can have additional choices.
Inherited IRA tax and distribution rules are separate from the estate process and can be time-sensitive. Review the current IRS Publication 590-B and obtain tax advice before requesting liquidation or moving funds.
What happens to Robinhood crypto after death?
Robinhood's current beneficiary page says crypto assets are not covered by its beneficiary process and will be distributed as part of the estate. That means a TOD designation on a brokerage account should not be assumed to control Robinhood Crypto holdings.
Tell the estate representative that crypto is present or suspected. Ask which legal authority is required, how the assets will be valued or transferred, and what transaction and tax records will be supplied.
What if the Robinhood account is joint?
Robinhood currently offers a joint investing account titled Joint With Rights of Survivorship. Its help page says the surviving owner automatically receives full ownership after one owner dies, but the survivor still must contact Robinhood to begin the transfer process.
Do not confuse a joint account with an individual account on which another person was merely given device access or trading information. The account registration controls the Robinhood workflow.
What if there is no beneficiary?
Robinhood says brokerage assets without a beneficiary may pass through probate before reaching next of kin. Its IRA agreement has separate default provisions; Robinhood's help page identifies a surviving spouse and then the estate as the default sequence for IRAs when no beneficiary is named.
The representative should wait for Robinhood's account-specific document request. Depending on the state and value, the answer may be court-issued Letters or a simplified transfer document.
Can you trade in the account while the claim is pending?
Do not use the deceased person's credentials to trade, liquidate, withdraw, or change beneficiaries. Submit the death notice promptly and let Robinhood secure the account. Preserve the most recent statement and record market values as of the date of death for the estate and tax files.
Related account guides
- All account-after-death guides
- Coinbase accounts after death
- Close an E*TRADE account after death
- Close a Merrill account after death
- Final tax returns after death in California
Brokerage, retirement, options, and crypto transfers can have legal and tax consequences. Confirm the current instructions with Robinhood's estates team before directing a sale or transfer.