What to do when an Affinity Federal account holder dies
Report the death to Affinity Federal's Decedent Department at 1-800-325-0808
When a member of Affinity Federal 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.
Death claim process
To file a claim after an account holder's death, here is what Affinity Federal requires:
Filing a claim
- If mail to that address will not reach you, ask for a copy to be sent to the executor's address
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificateGive the date of death with it.
- Government-issued driver's license or state ID, for each person responsible for settling the account
- NJ Form L8, if the deceased person lived in New Jersey and the claimant qualifies to use it
- New Jersey tax waiver, if the deceased person lived in New Jersey and the claimant does not qualify to use the L8Affinity may hold the date-of-death balances until it arrives.
- Affidavit of Domicile, if the deceased person did not live in New JerseyAffinity supplies the form.
- Surrogate's Certificate, for an individually owned account with no POD or TOD beneficiary
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration, if probate is required
- Trust documents and the trust's Tax ID Number (EIN), for a trust-owned account, from the successor trustee
- Small Estate Affidavit, if the estate qualifies under applicable state law
Forms Affinity Federal issues1
- Affidavit of Domicile
Completed by the claimant, if the deceased person did not live in New Jersey. Sent by the institution on request.1
What happens to each kind of account4
- Joint account with survivorship
The surviving owner keeps the account with right of survivorship. A joint account transfers on notification once the death certificate and the L8 or Affidavit of Domicile are in.1
The account agreement states that ownership of a joint account cannot be changed by will.2
- Payable-on-death account
Named beneficiaries receive the funds after providing the required documentation and the applicable New Jersey tax form. Multiple surviving payees take equal shares.1
The account agreement states that ownership of a payable-on-death account cannot be changed by will.2
- Trust account
The successor trustee provides the trust documents, the death certificate and the trust's Tax ID Number (EIN).1
- Account in one name
For an individually owned account with no POD or TOD beneficiary, you must be appointed by the Surrogate's Court in the county where the deceased person lived and provide a Surrogate's Certificate. Affinity will not release any account information without it.1
State requirements Affinity Federal statesNew Jersey
- New Jersey
If the deceased person lived in New Jersey, Affinity requires a completed Form L8, as mandated by the NJ Division of Taxation. A claimant who does not qualify to use the L8 needs a separate tax waiver, and Affinity may hold the date-of-death balances until it arrives.1
State law on paying a balance without lettersNew York
- New York
N.Y. SCPA § 1310
New York law permits a credit union to pay from a deceased member's balance on an affidavit made under oath, without letters testamentary or letters of administration.N.Y. SCPA § 1310Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
Paid to: surviving spouse
Limit: $30,000 in total from every holder
When: forthwith
Paid to: surviving spouse, children eighteen or older, either parent, brother or sister, niece or nephew, or at their request a creditor or the person who paid the funeral expense
Limit: $15,000 in total from every holder
When: not less than thirty days after the death
Paid to: a distributee, a creditor, or the person who paid the funeral expenses
Limit: $5,000 held at the institution and $5,000 in total from every holder
When: not less than 6 months after the death
The section permits the payment. It does not require the credit union to make it. The section sets further conditions.
What Affinity Federal's agreement and guidance say7
- What it does when notified
Affinity acts on notification before any paperwork arrives: it places balance holds on the member's accounts and on joint accounts, stops transactions, blocks card access and removes authorized users where needed.1
It also turns off automatic transfers and bill payments, temporarily waives applicable fees, and suspends Online, Mobile and Telephone Banking, including Bill Pay.1
The agreement lets Affinity freeze an account on notice of an owner's death until it has all the documentation establishing to whom payment should be made.2
- Telling the institution
Under "Death or Incompetency," neither death nor an adjudication of incompetence revokes Affinity's authority to accept, pay or collect items until it knows of the death and has a reasonable opportunity to act.2
- Payments after the death
Even with knowledge of the death, Affinity may pay checks drawn on or before the date of death for 10 days after the death, unless a person claiming an interest in the account orders a stop payment.2
- Indemnity a claimant may have to give
A surviving owner or beneficiary indemnifies and holds Affinity harmless for disposing of funds in reliance on the account designations.2
- Deposits after the death
Federal benefit payments such as Social Security will stop or be returned to the paying agency.1
- Wills, probate and small estates
Affinity cannot validate a will. A will must be probated through the Surrogate's Court and a representative appointed there.1
- Who can get account information
Affinity discusses a deceased member's account only with the legal representative of the estate or a surviving joint owner.1
Not in Affinity Federal's published guidance1
- How long a claim takes
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.
Sources
(3)·
Data sourced from Affinity Federal primary sources (15 pages reviewed). How we research.
Affinity Federal death claims support
Decedent Department
Phone
Fax
Hours
Mailing address
Website
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