Yes! You can use AI to fill out Vanguard Transfer on Death Plan Form

When selecting 'Change my existing plan' in Section 2, users often only list the new beneficiary or the single piece of information they want to update. The form clearly states that new designations 'completely replace any prior designations.' This error can lead to the unintentional removal of other intended beneficiaries, drastically altering the distribution of assets. To avoid this, you must list every single primary and backup beneficiary with their correct percentages, even if their information has not changed.

Users frequently make calculation errors in Section 3, causing the total percentage for primary or backup beneficiaries not to equal 100%. While the form states Vanguard will default to an equal split in this case, this automatic allocation may not reflect the account owner's true wishes. This can lead to family disputes and an incorrect distribution of your assets. Always double-check that the percentages for each group (primary and backup) sum exactly to 100% before submitting.

If the plan applies to a 'Joint Tenants with Rights of Survivorship' account, all account owners must sign and date the form in Section 4. It is a very common error for only one owner to sign, especially if they are the one filling out the paperwork. An incomplete form without all required signatures will be rejected by Vanguard, causing significant processing delays and leaving the plan unexecuted.

The form instructions explicitly prohibit vague or group designations like 'my children' or 'descendants, per stirpes' due to the difficulty in identifying all members after death. Users make this mistake trying to simplify their designations, but it will lead to rejection or require an executor to verify beneficiaries, potentially triggering the probate process this form is meant to avoid. You must always name each beneficiary individually using their full legal name.

This form is strictly for individual nonretirement and Joint Tenants with Rights of Survivorship accounts. A frequent mistake is attempting to use it for IRAs, 401(k)s, trusts, or UGMA/UTMA accounts, which have their own separate beneficiary designation processes. This error results in the form being rejected and the intended beneficiary changes not taking effect for those ineligible accounts. Always verify account eligibility in the 'Which accounts are eligible?' section before filling out the form.

Users often focus only on primary beneficiaries and leave the backup beneficiary section entirely blank. If all primary beneficiaries predecease the account owner, the assets will pass to the owner's estate and be subject to the costly and time-consuming probate process. This negates a primary benefit of the Transfer on Death plan. To ensure assets are transferred directly to an heir, always designate at least one backup beneficiary.

The instructions on multiple pages state, 'Return ALL pages of this form, even if some sections are left blank.' People often only mail the pages they filled out, assuming the blank or instructional pages are unnecessary. This can cause the submission to be flagged as incomplete and returned, delaying the establishment or update of your plan. Always mail the entire multi-page form as a single packet to the provided address.

A critical and costly mistake is assuming a will or trust will override the TOD plan. The form and agreement repeatedly state that the plan's beneficiary designations supersede any conflicting instructions in a will or trust for the specified accounts. This misunderstanding can lead to assets being transferred to the wrong person, unintentionally disinheriting someone and derailing an entire estate plan. Always consult a legal advisor to ensure your TOD designations align with your overall estate planning goals.

Failing to provide a beneficiary's full legal name, birth date (for individuals), or the full trust name and date (for trusts) is a common oversight. This incomplete information can create significant delays and complications for your heirs when they try to claim the assets, as Vanguard will need to perform extra steps to verify their identity. Using an AI-powered tool like Instafill.ai can help prevent this by ensuring all required fields are completed with correctly formatted data before you print.

In Section 2, Option C, users must list the specific account numbers to be included in the plan. Common errors include transposing digits, not providing the full 8 or 11-digit number, or listing an ineligible account type. An incorrect account number will result in that account being excluded from the plan, defeating the owner's intent. Since this form is a non-fillable PDF, tools like Instafill.ai can convert it into a fillable version, reducing the chance of manual data entry errors.