What happens to Kohl's rewards when the owner dies
Kohl's, Inc. rewards are forfeited under the program's terms when the account is closed
Kohl's Rewards Customer Service (no dedicated estates channel published)
Time-sensitive on one item only. Each Kohl's Cash coupon expires 30 days after issuance and cannot be reinstated after it lapses. A Kohl's Rewards Balance below $5 automatically expires if it stays below $5 for more than 12 months, and Kohl's may deactivate accounts with no in-store merchandise purchase in the preceding 12 consecutive months. Kohl's publishes no estate-claim or deceased-member processing timeline, because it publishes no estate channel; any request is handled at Customer Service's discretion on its own schedule.
When a Kohl's account holder dies, rewards are forfeited under Kohl's, Inc.'s terms. The account balance has no transferable value, and there is no formal process for heirs to claim rewards.
There are reports of Kohl's, Inc. making exceptions through customer service, but these accommodations are discretionary and not guaranteed.
What to do
If a Kohl's account holder has passed away, here is what to do:
- •The member's full name, the email address, and the phone number on the Kohl's Rewards Account
- •The date of death
- •A copy of the death certificate, if Kohl's asks for proof
- •Your relationship to the member, and letters testamentary or letters of administration if you have been appointed
Required Documents
- Member's full name, plus the email address and phone number on the Kohl's Rewards Account
- Date of death
- Death certificate (Kohl's publishes no documentation requirement for loyalty-account closure; provide a copy if requested)
- Letters testamentary or letters of administration, if the requester has been appointed (not published as a requirement; useful to establish authority)
Timeline
Time-sensitive on one item only. Each Kohl's Cash coupon expires 30 days after issuance and cannot be reinstated after it lapses. A Kohl's Rewards Balance below $5 automatically expires if it stays below $5 for more than 12 months, and Kohl's may deactivate accounts with no in-store merchandise purchase in the preceding 12 consecutive months. Kohl's publishes no estate-claim or deceased-member processing timeline, because it publishes no estate channel; any request is handled at Customer Service's discretion on its own schedule.
Frequently asked questions
By default they are lost. The Kohl's Rewards Account is nontransferable under the program terms, Kohl's Cash coupons are not legal tender and provide no cash back, and Kohl's publishes no death, beneficiary, or estate-transfer provision. Closing a Kohl's Rewards Account forfeits the accumulated Kohl's Rewards Balance (except where prohibited by law), and any unused Kohl's Cash expires 30 days after issuance. A survivor can still ask Kohl's Rewards Customer Service to reissue the value to a family member as a discretionary courtesy, but Kohl's is under no obligation to agree.
Not as a matter of right. The Kohl's Rewards Account is nontransferable and Kohl's Cash coupons are nontransferable and have no cash back, so the balance cannot be claimed by the estate and there is no beneficiary designation. The only avenue is a discretionary request to Kohl's Rewards Customer Service at 1-844-564-5704 asking Kohl's to reissue the Kohl's Rewards Balance and any unexpired Kohl's Cash to a named surviving family member before the account is closed. Kohl's may decline.
Each Kohl's Cash coupon expires 30 days after issuance and may be redeemed only before it expires; any unused amount is forfeited. Unexpired Kohl's Cash can still be redeemed against a Kohl's purchase, which is the fastest way to capture value. It is not legal tender, provides no cash back, and may not be used to reduce a Kohl's Card or other charge account balance.
Not before the balance is dealt with. The terms provide that a member who closes a Kohl's Rewards Account forfeits all accumulated Kohl's Rewards Balance (except where prohibited by law). Redeem any unexpired Kohl's Cash first, then ask Kohl's whether it will reissue the remaining Rewards Balance to a family member, and only then request closure. Kohl's Rewards Customer Service handles closures at 1-844-564-5704.
No. Kohl's publishes no deceased-member, bereavement, or estate-claim channel for the Kohl's Rewards program, and the program terms contain no death or beneficiary clause. Requests go through Kohl's Rewards Customer Service at 1-844-564-5704, which handles them at its discretion. Have the member's name, account email and phone number, the date of death, and a copy of the death certificate ready in case Kohl's asks for proof.
That is a separate matter. The Kohl's Card is a credit account issued by Capital One and is settled through the card issuer's estate process, not through Kohl's Rewards Customer Service. Notify the issuer of the death and handle the balance there. The free Kohl's Rewards loyalty membership is handled by Kohl's, and Kohl's Cash may not be used to reduce a Kohl's Card balance.
Because rewards are forfeited at death, lifetime use is the only reliable strategy. Redeeming or sharing Kohl's rewards while the account holder is alive ensures their value is not lost.
Sources
Data sourced from Kohl's, Inc. primary sources (7 pages reviewed). How we research.
Kohl's Rewards Customer Service (no dedicated estates channel published)
Time-sensitive on one item only. Each Kohl's Cash coupon expires 30 days after issuance and cannot be reinstated after it lapses. A Kohl's Rewards Balance below $5 automatically expires if it stays below $5 for more than 12 months, and Kohl's may deactivate accounts with no in-store merchandise purchase in the preceding 12 consecutive months. Kohl's publishes no estate-claim or deceased-member processing timeline, because it publishes no estate channel; any request is handled at Customer Service's discretion on its own schedule.
