When a Robinhood customer dies, nobody signs in to the account. The family tells Robinhood through its Estates form, and Robinhood routes each part of the account to the right process. That matters because stocks and crypto in the same app can take different routes: stocks may go straight to a named beneficiary, while crypto goes through the estate.
What happens to my Robinhood account if I die?
Your Robinhood account doesn't close on its own. Once your family submits the Estates form, Robinhood restricts the account and settles each part separately:
- Stocks in your individual investing account go to the transfer-on-death (TOD) beneficiaries you named. If you named none, or none survive you, they go to your estate.
- An IRA goes to your IRA beneficiaries.
- Crypto bought in the Robinhood app goes to your estate, even if you named TOD beneficiaries. Your will, or your state's intestacy law, decides who gets it.
- Robinhood Wallet is self-custody. Robinhood can't release it; whoever has your recovery phrase controls it.
So the two things that decide what happens are whether you named beneficiaries and whether your executor can find out the account exists. For crypto held outside Robinhood, such as on other exchanges or in a self-custody wallet, see what happens to your bitcoin and crypto when you die.
Robinhood estate claim at a glance
| Who | What they submit | Where | What happens next |
|---|---|---|---|
| Any family member | The Robinhood Estates form, death certificate photo and their own ID | Robinhood's "Losing a loved one" support page | An estate representative contacts them |
| Named TOD or IRA beneficiary | A beneficiary claim with the death certificate and ID | Robinhood, after the Estates form is in | Generally opens a Robinhood account to receive stocks or IRA assets |
| Executor or administrator | Proof of authority, such as letters testamentary or a small-estate affidavit | Whatever the estate representative asks for | Receives the crypto and any assets without a beneficiary |
| Anyone holding a Robinhood Wallet recovery phrase | Nothing to Robinhood | Not applicable | Robinhood can't help; the phrase restores the wallet |
Robinhood doesn't publish a timeline for any of these steps.
Which Robinhood product held the assets?
| What you found | What it is | Route |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks, ETFs or options in the Robinhood app | Individual investing account | TOD beneficiaries if the owner named any; otherwise the estate |
| An IRA in the Robinhood app | Retirement account | IRA beneficiaries, which follow different rules from TOD |
| Bitcoin or other crypto bought in the Robinhood app | Robinhood Crypto account | The estate, even if TOD beneficiaries were named |
| A separate "Robinhood Wallet" app, or a 12-word recovery phrase | Robinhood Wallet, a self-custody wallet | The owner's recovery phrase; Robinhood can't help |
| A joint or trust account | Different ownership rules | Tell the estate representative which type it is |
Monthly statements, tax forms from Robinhood and emails from robinhood.com usually show which of these existed. The family checklist for the first 30 days lists other places to look.
Why crypto doesn't follow the TOD beneficiary
Robinhood lets customers name transfer-on-death beneficiaries on an individual investing account. Crypto is not covered. Robinhood's beneficiaries page says: "any crypto assets will be distributed as a part of your estate." Its TOD agreement is more direct: crypto offered through Robinhood Crypto, LLC "is not eligible for TOD Account registration."
In practice, a beneficiary may receive the stocks through Robinhood's TOD process while the crypto in the same app waits for the estate's legal representative. Plan for both tracks from the start.
Step 1: Submit Robinhood's Estates form
Robinhood's "Losing a loved one" page asks the family to fill out its Estates form. As of September 2026 it asks for:
| Item | What Robinhood asks for |
|---|---|
| About the deceased | Full legal name, Social Security number, date of birth and date of death |
| Death certificate | A photo or copy with all four corners visible, and the seal if there is one |
| About you | Your name, contact details, date of birth and relationship to the deceased |
| Your ID | A photo or copy of your government-issued ID, front and back |
Robinhood says not to send wills, trusts or other estate planning documents with the form. It asks for specific documents later if it needs them. An estate representative then contacts you.
Open the form from robinhood.com yourself rather than from a link in an email, text or search ad.
Step 2: TOD beneficiaries claim the investing account
Named TOD and IRA beneficiaries contact Robinhood to claim their assets. They need the death certificate and may need to show ID and other documents. Robinhood's TOD agreement adds three details families often miss:
- A beneficiary generally must open a Robinhood account and accept its agreements to receive the assets.
- If no named beneficiary survives the owner, the assets become part of the estate.
- TOD registration isn't available to Louisiana residents, and is void if the owner lived in Louisiana at death.
Step 3: The estate claims the crypto
The crypto goes to whoever has legal authority over the estate, usually an executor or administrator. Robinhood doesn't publish a checklist for this step; its representative tells you what it needs after reviewing the Estates form. Expect to be asked for proof of authority, such as letters testamentary, letters of administration or a small-estate affidavit where the owner lived.
Before anything moves, ask the representative:
- Can the crypto be transferred to an heir's Robinhood account, or will it be sold?
- Can Robinhood give the value of each asset on the date of death?
- Which documents does it need, and how should you send them?
Robinhood's customer agreement says that after a death it may restrict transactions, require papers and tax waivers, or close out accounts without waiting for a personal representative. Notify Robinhood early and don't try to trade in the account yourself.
How to close or transfer the account
You don't close a deceased person's Robinhood account yourself, and you shouldn't sell everything first to make it simpler. The Estates form opens the case, and the account is settled through the routes above:
| Part of the account | How it leaves Robinhood |
|---|---|
| Stocks with a named TOD beneficiary | Transferred to the beneficiary, who generally opens their own Robinhood account to receive them |
| IRA | Handled through the IRA beneficiary process |
| Crypto, and anything without a beneficiary | Released to the executor or administrator once Robinhood has the documents it asks for |
Ask the estate representative how the account will be closed once everything has been transferred, and whether they need anything else from you to do it. Keep the owner's email and phone number active until Robinhood confirms the account is settled.
Robinhood Wallet is a different story
Robinhood Wallet is a self-custody app run by Robinhood Non-Custodial, Ltd., separate from the crypto in the main Robinhood app. Robinhood's FAQ says its support "can't help you recover it, as we never have access to your keys." No estate document changes that.
If the owner used Robinhood Wallet, look for the recovery phrase in their papers, a safe or a letter of instruction. Never type it into a website or give it to anyone who contacts you. Where people usually store seed phrases can help you search.
Don't sign in, and don't pay "recovery agents"
Signing in with the owner's password or phone isn't a claim, and trading in a deceased person's account can create problems for the estate. Keep the owner's phone number and email active while the claim runs.
The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center has warned about companies that falsely claim they can recover crypto for an upfront fee. Robinhood's estate process doesn't need a seed phrase or remote access to your computer. See the recovery-scam checklist and which wallet support numbers are real.
Taxes
Heirs in the U.S. often get a stepped-up basis on crypto inherited from someone who died, which changes the tax when they later sell. See is inherited crypto taxable? This article is general information, not legal or tax advice.
For crypto in Cash App, PayPal or Venmo, see crypto in payment apps after a death. For Coinbase, Kraken, Binance and Crypto.com, see how to claim a deceased person's exchange account.
If you use Robinhood: make it easier for your family
- Name TOD beneficiaries on your investing account and IRA beneficiaries on any IRA.
- Remember that your crypto still goes through your estate, so your will and executor matter for it.
- If you use Robinhood Wallet, record where the recovery phrase is kept. Don't write the phrase itself into a will.
- Write down that you have a Robinhood account and which email it uses. A letter of instruction can hold this without any password. PingVaults can deliver that note to a trusted contact after a period of inactivity, the way a dead man's switch works; it doesn't replace Robinhood's estate process or prove anyone's authority. For the rest of the plan, including wills, trusts and taxes, see our crypto estate planning guide.
Common questions
What happens to my Robinhood account if I die?
Robinhood restricts it once the family submits the Estates form. Stocks go to your named TOD beneficiaries, or to your estate if there are none; an IRA goes to its beneficiaries; crypto goes to your estate in every case. Robinhood Wallet can only be restored with your recovery phrase.
Does a Robinhood TOD beneficiary get the crypto?
No, not as of September 2026. Robinhood says crypto isn't eligible for TOD registration and is distributed as part of the estate.
What does Robinhood's Estates form ask for?
The deceased's full legal name, Social Security number, dates of birth and death, a photo of the death certificate with all four corners visible, and your details and government ID. Don't send a will or trust unless Robinhood asks for it.
How do I file a Robinhood beneficiary claim?
Contact Robinhood through its "Losing a loved one" page as a named transfer-on-death (TOD) beneficiary. You'll need the death certificate and may be asked for ID and other documents, and you generally must open a Robinhood account to receive the assets. A TOD claim covers the investing account only; crypto in the account still goes to the estate.
Does a beneficiary need a Robinhood account?
Robinhood's TOD agreement says a beneficiary generally must open a Robinhood account to receive the assets.
Can Robinhood recover a Robinhood Wallet?
No. Robinhood Wallet is self-custody, and Robinhood says it never has access to the keys. The family needs the owner's recovery phrase.
How do I close a deceased person's Robinhood account?
Submit the Estates form first. Robinhood's estate representative settles the account: TOD and IRA beneficiaries claim their parts, the estate receives the crypto and anything else, and the representative tells you how the account is then closed. Don't sign in or sell assets yourself.
Where do I find the Robinhood Estates form?
On Robinhood's "Losing a loved one" support page at robinhood.com. Open it from Robinhood's own site rather than from a link in an email, text or search ad, and don't pay anyone who offers to file it for you.
How long does a Robinhood estate claim take?
Robinhood doesn't publish a timeline. An estate representative contacts you after you submit the Estates form; complete, consistent documents are the part you control.