Potential executor must provide SSN?

What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state? The potential deceased was a resident of Oregon before enlisting in the Army. He is currently posted in New York state.

My estranged brother has asked me to be his executor. He says he needs my social security number because he needs to "make the executor the beneficiary of my [his] life insurance to include it in a trust." I want to know if that's true; i.e., is it necessary for me to give him my SSN? I would rather not give out that information.

You have nothing to fear. Yes, your SSN is needed--whenever the trust is administered (after his death), you and other parties are probably going to be receiving payouts of more than $10,000 each, and any such amounts are required to be reported to IRS for tax collecting purposes. The information is kept private and confidential.

You also need to be asking him where his original signed copy of the will is so you will be the only one who can get access to it after his death. If you are named as trustee, you also need to find out that from him as well.

DANDY DON IN OKLAHOMA ([email protected])

Dandy Don said:

You have nothing to fear. Yes, your SSN is needed

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And of course, DD is wrong on this one.

There is NO requirement for the trust to have your SSN prior to any payout.... and maybe not even then (dependent on payout and circumstances). Simply, explain to your brother that you don't feel comfortable 'sharing' your information when not required. If he is insistant, then simply ask him to complete HIS portion of the paperwork and send it to you... then you can complete and forward to the trustee.

Hmm. I have a life insurance policy that requires the SSN of the beneficiary (my husband). It even requires the SSN of my contingent beneficiary (my sister). However, the policy is not in a trust, it is simply a life insurance policy.

VeronicaGia said:

Hmm. I have a life insurance policy that requires the SSN of the beneficiary (my husband). It even requires the SSN of my contingent beneficiary (my sister). However, the policy is not in a trust, it is simply a life insurance policy.

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Hmmmmm.... okay. But what does what YOUR policy requirements have to do with this thread??
If you are trying to assume that if yours requires, all do, it doesn't work that way.
After all, my 'tooling around town car' (Viper) has a V10 engine... but that doesn't mean that all cars have V10's.

JETX said:

Hmmmmm.... okay. But what does what YOUR policy requirements have to do with this thread??
If you are trying to assume that if yours requires, all do, it doesn't work that way.
After all, my 'tooling around town car' (Viper) has a V10 engine... but that doesn't mean that all cars have V10's.

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I was simply trying to point out that some companies do require this information. I only know that because my insurance company does require this information. Apparently not all require this information. And as you stated earlier, if the poster questions this, then the poster should ask brother to fill it in and send it on. That way the poster will know what is and is not required.

Insurance Policies

I write insurance and annuities. If the Insurance or annuity contract has a beneficiary designated as the "Trust" you do not need to provide a FEDERAL ID #. If the the beneficiary is designated as an individual, it is common practice for the Insurance Company to request the individual's social security number.

If it is a revocable living trust, and the grantor/trustee is still alive, chances are there is no Federal ID #. We usually only apply for it on death of the grantor/trustee.

Hope this helps!