Estate Services

The first thing to do is notify us of the passing of your loved one. When you contact us, please be prepared to provide the following information about the account holder:

• Name
• Social Security Number
• Date of Birth
• Date of Death

Anyone can notify us. After we've been notified and begin to settle the account(s), we'll be able to discuss the account details with the estate representative, executor or trustee.

Please take a moment to understand the capacity in which you've been named. If you're appointed as an estate representative or trustee, you'll need to follow the instructions outlined in the will or trust agreement. To understand common roles, see Helpful Terms.

Death Certificate

The death certificate gives us the information needed to verify the identity and legal residence of our customer as well as confirm the date of death.

Other Legal Documents

We may request documents such as a formal trust or additional information required by state law.

The below documents are used to confirm the identity of the party/parties who have authority to handle the estate.

• For formal probate: Court-issued Letters of Testamentary, Letters of Administration, Certification of Appointment, Short Form or Short Certificate (among others) appointing the estate representative (executor or administrator). These documents are issued by the court when formal probate of an estate is required under applicable state law. You can begin this process at the county probate court where your loved one resided at the time of passing.
• For small estates: A properly executed small estate affidavit, in accordance with state laws where your loved one was a resident. Keep in mind some states only require a notarized small estate affidavit while other states require the affidavit filed with the court. The requirements vary from state to state.

You can provide a copy of the death certificate initially. In many cases, we require an original certified death certificate to move forward. If an original is required, we'll let you know.

Death certificates are available from the funeral director handling the arrangements or through the local vital records office.

You can contact the county probate court where your loved one resided at the time of passing. These documents are issued by the court when formal probate of an estate is required under applicable state law.

Once notified, we'll take steps to safeguard your loved one's account(s).

Federal benefit payments

Any government benefits issued to the deceased-such as social security-will stop and/or be returned to the appropriate federal agency.

Reviewing your loved one's account(s) and estate needs

We'll carefully assess your loved one's accounts to determine the specific estate requirements. This review helps us identify the documents and steps needed to properly transition the accounts.

You can find information about dormant accounts and unclaimed checks below:

For dormant accounts, click here.

For unclaimed official checks, click here.