What to do when a American Express account holder dies

No. An outstanding American Express card balance is a debt of the deceased cardmember's estate, paid from estate assets during administration. Additional Card Members (authorized users) are not personally liable for the balance, and their cards are closed when the account is closed. A family member or third party handling the affairs of the decedent is not personally responsible to pay the debt. Report a cardmember death to the Deceased Cardmember line at 1-800-266-7064 (Mon-Fri 8am-10pm ET).

Call the Deceased Cardmember line at 1-800-266-7064, Monday through Friday, 8am to 10pm ET (Corporate Cards: 1-888-297-3947, Mon-Fri 8am-8pm ET). Anyone may notify American Express of a cardmember's passing. When you call, be prepared to provide the date of death; the executor, trustee, or attorney contact information; your relationship to the cardmember; and your contact information. If possible, have the deceased cardmember's account number available. This card process is entirely separate from the American Express National Bank savings and CD deceased-account process, which uses a different phone number and a mailed Deceased Letter of Instruction.

Sometimes. A person appointed by a will or court order, or otherwise handling the decedent's affairs, can request that the account be cancelled or, if eligible, apply to take it over. To be eligible, the card must be eligible for transfer, the account cannot be closed for more than one year or be 30 days or more past due, and the new Basic Card Member must pass a credit review. No one is obligated to take over the account, because the estate (or the business, for a small business account) bears ultimate responsibility for the balance. Anyone who does take over becomes responsible for the existing balance and future charges. Call 1-800-266-7064 to determine eligibility.

Both are debts of the estate, paid from estate assets during administration, and neither is a transferable asset with a beneficiary. A revolving credit card (such as Blue Cash or a co-brand card) can carry a month-to-month balance; a traditional charge card (Green, Gold, or Platinum) has no preset spending limit and is designed to be paid in full, but any balance outstanding at the date of death is still owed by the estate. For most closed personal and small business accounts, American Express can arrange interest-free monthly payments for up to 24 months to settle the balance. A family member or third party handling the decedent's affairs is not personally responsible to pay this debt.

No. American Express National Bank does not accept a will or a copy of a will as authorization to manage a deceased deposit account. For an individual account with no POD beneficiary, you must provide court-issued Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration, or a notarized state-specific Small Estate Affidavit. A POD beneficiary claims with a copy of the death certificate and an Affidavit of Identity.

For joint accounts with right of survivorship, the account passes to the surviving owner as sole owner. The survivor submits a copy of the death certificate to remove the deceased owner, through the online Document Center, by fax to 1-800-542-0779, or by mail to American Express National Bank, PO Box 30384, Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0384. If the deceased was the primary owner, a New Account Form is also required.