What to do when a Affinity Federal account holder dies
Contact Affinity Federal — 4-step process, 9 required documents, and joint accounts transfer immediately upon notification. pod beneficiaries typically receive funds after submitting required documentation and applicable nj tax forms. accounts requiring probate depend on surrogate court timelines. upon notification, affinity places balance holds, disables card access, suspends recurring transactions, and freezes online/mobile banking.
Member Service Center
Phone1-800-325-0808
Mailing Address
Affinity Federal Credit Union, 73 Mountainview Blvd, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920
WebsiteLearn more→
Member Service Center
Phone1-800-325-0808
Mailing Address
Affinity Federal Credit Union, 73 Mountainview Blvd, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920
WebsiteLearn more→
Decedent Department
Phone1-800-325-0808
Fax1-908-860-3880
Mailing Address
Affinity Federal Credit Union, Attn: Decedent Department, 73 Mountainview Blvd, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Apr 2026
When a Affinity Federal member passes away, the Decedent Department handles the transition of accounts to beneficiaries or the estate. Accounts with Payable on Death designations or trust ownership transfer outside of probate, while solely-owned accounts may require Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from the probate court.
Affinity Federal provides an online portal for initiating death claims, which can simplify the initial notification and document submission process. Claims can also be started by phone or by mailing the required documents.
Death claim process
To file a claim after an account holder's death, here is what Affinity Federal requires:
Filing a claim
1
Contact Affinity FCU Deceased Member Affairs at 800-325-0808 to notify them of the member's death
2
Submit initial documentation:
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Government-issued ID(s) of the individual(s) responsible for settling the account
- NJ L8 form if the deceased was a New Jersey resident, or Affidavit of Domicile if not
3
Cancel any direct deposits and pre-authorized drafts; review account history for recurring transactions
4
Settlement depends on account structure:
- Joint accounts: surviving owner retains the account with right of survivorship
- POD/TOD accounts: named beneficiaries receive funds upon providing required documentation
- Trust accounts: successor trustee provides trust documents, death certificate, and Tax ID Number (EIN)
- Accounts without beneficiaries or joint owners: executor or administrator provides Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from surrogate court
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID of the claimant(s)
- NJ L8 form (if deceased was a New Jersey resident)
- Affidavit of Domicile (if deceased was NOT a New Jersey resident)
- NJ tax waiver (if claimant does not qualify to use the L8 form)
- Surrogate's Certificate (for individual accounts without POD/TOD designation)
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if probate required)
- Trust documents and Tax ID Number (if trust-owned account)
- Small Estate Affidavit (if estate qualifies under applicable state law)
Affinity members can upload documents through their Online Banking profile. Non-members settling a deceased member's account can mail documents to the Decedent Department, fax to 908-860-3880, or call 800-325-0808. For questions about the NJ L8 form, contact the New Jersey Division of Taxation at 609-292-5033. The credit union cannot validate a Will; wills must be probated through the Surrogate's Court and a legal representative must be appointed by the court.
How long the process takes at Affinity Federal: Joint accounts transfer immediately upon notification. POD beneficiaries typically receive funds after submitting required documentation and applicable NJ tax forms. Accounts requiring probate depend on surrogate court timelines. Upon notification, Affinity places balance holds, disables card access, suspends recurring transactions, and freezes online/mobile banking. The most common reason for delays is missing or incomplete documentation, so submitting everything upfront is the best way to keep things moving.
Documentation required by Affinity Federal includes Certified death certificate, Government-issued photo ID of the claimant(s), and NJ L8 form (if deceased was a New Jersey resident), along with additional paperwork that varies by account type. All death certificates and court documents must be certified copies.
Frequently asked questions
The L8 form is mandated by the New Jersey Division of Taxation for settling accounts of deceased NJ residents. It serves as an inheritance tax waiver. If you do not qualify to use the L8 form, a separate tax waiver will be required and Affinity may place a hold on the date-of-death balances until the tax waiver is received. For questions about the L8 form, contact the NJ Division of Taxation at 609-292-5033.
Yes. Trusts can be named as Payable on Death (POD) beneficiaries on eligible deposit accounts at Affinity, including checking, savings, money market, and certificate accounts. You can set this up through Online Banking, at any Affinity branch, or by calling 800-325-0808. Revocable trust account owners retain the right to change the beneficiary at any time.
Joint accounts at Affinity Federal Credit Union include automatic right of survivorship. When one joint account owner passes away, the surviving owner retains the account. The surviving owner will need to provide a certified copy of the death certificate and either the NJ L8 form (if the deceased was a New Jersey resident) or an Affidavit of Domicile (if the deceased was not a New Jersey resident). Contact the Member Service Center at 800-325-0808 or visit any branch to begin the process.
Required documents depend on the account type. For all accounts: a certified death certificate and government-issued photo ID. For NJ residents: an L8 form (inheritance tax waiver). For non-NJ residents: an Affidavit of Domicile. For individual accounts without POD/TOD beneficiaries: a Surrogate's Certificate or Letters Testamentary/Letters of Administration from the county surrogate's court. For trust-owned accounts: trust documents, death certificate, and the trust's Tax ID Number (EIN). Contact the Decedent Department at 800-325-0808 or mail documents to Affinity Federal Credit Union, Attn: Decedent Department, 73 Mountainview Blvd, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920.
No. IRA accounts (IRA Accumulator Savings, IRA Certificates, and IRA Money Manager) cannot be retitled into a trust due to IRS regulations. However, you can name a trust as the beneficiary on your IRA using a separate IRA Beneficiary Designation form. This allows the IRA proceeds to pass into the trust upon your death, providing the distribution control and probate avoidance benefits of a trust while maintaining the tax-advantaged status of the IRA during your lifetime.
Affinity Federal's Decedent Department can be reached by phone at 1-800-325-0808 and fax at 1-908-860-3880 for questions throughout the claims process.
If the deceased held multiple Affinity Federal accounts, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The Decedent Department can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.
Member Service Center
Phone1-800-325-0808
Mailing Address
Affinity Federal Credit Union, 73 Mountainview Blvd, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920
WebsiteLearn more→
Member Service Center
Phone1-800-325-0808
Mailing Address
Affinity Federal Credit Union, 73 Mountainview Blvd, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920
WebsiteLearn more→
Decedent Department
Phone1-800-325-0808
Fax1-908-860-3880
Mailing Address
Affinity Federal Credit Union, Attn: Decedent Department, 73 Mountainview Blvd, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Apr 2026
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