What to do when a Andrews FCU account holder dies
Contact Andrews FCU — 4-step process, 5 required documents, and pod accounts are disbursed after proof of death and identity verification. joint accounts transfer immediately to surviving owner. accounts requiring probate depend on court timelines in the applicable jurisdiction (dc, md, va, or nj). overseas military survivors coordinate through the general member service center or the credit union's european locations in belgium, the netherlands, and germany.
Member Service Center
Andrews Federal Credit Union, 5711 Allentown Road, Suitland, MD 20746
Member Service Center
Andrews Federal Credit Union, 5711 Allentown Road, Suitland, MD 20746
Deposit Support Services
Andrews Federal Credit Union, 5711 Allentown Road, Suitland, MD 20746
When a member of Andrews FCU passes away, the Deposit Support Services 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 claims at Andrews FCU can be started through an online portal, which streamlines the initial notification and document upload. Phone and mail options are also available.
Death claim process
Follow these steps to file a death claim with Andrews FCU:
Filing a claim
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for the claimant or representative
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if probate is required)
- Maryland Small Estate Affidavit, or the equivalent for DC, VA, or NJ, if the estate qualifies (Maryland: property subject to administration of $50,000 or less, or $100,000 or less if the surviving spouse is the sole heir or legatee — Md. Est. & Trusts 5-601)
- Joint accounts with right of survivorship: surviving owner retains full ownership of the account
- POD/beneficiary accounts: after proof of death of the last surviving owner and proof of identity, Andrews FCU first pays any liabilities the deceased owner owed the credit union out of the account, then issues each living POD payee a check for an equal pro rata share based on the number of POD payees listed in account records
- If all named POD payees died before the account owner, the amount payable passes to the owner's estate
- Single owner accounts without POD: funds distribute to the estate through probate; executor or administrator provides Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration
- Trust-owned accounts: distributed according to trust terms upon presentation of death certificate and trustee documentation
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for each beneficiary or claimant
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if probate is required)
- Maryland Small Estate Affidavit (or DC/VA/NJ equivalent) if the estate qualifies — Maryland small-estate limit is $50,000, or $100,000 when the surviving spouse is the sole heir/legatee (Md. Est. & Trusts 5-601)
- Trust documents and trustee identification (if trust is named beneficiary or account owner)
What to know at this institution
Per Andrews FCU Terms and Conditions, any person identified on the Signature Card as a "Payable on Death (POD) payee" acquires ownership rights only after the death of all owners and only if the POD payee is alive. The credit union may honor deposits and checks of a deceased owner until it has actual notice of death and a reasonable opportunity to act, and it pays any of the decedent's liabilities to the credit union from the account before distributing to POD payees. If no POD designation or joint ownership exists, the account passes through the decedent's estate and probate process in DC, MD, VA, or NJ. Andrews FCU does not publish a standalone deceased-member webpage; estate matters route through Deposit Support Services and the Member Service Center at (800) 487-5500.
Prepare your letter of instruction to Andrews FCU
Andrews FCU accepts a claimant-drafted letter of instruction. We draft it for you — addressed to Andrews FCU's verified claims department, with the documents it requires enclosed.
Build your letter of instructionExpected timelines at Andrews FCU: POD accounts are disbursed after proof of death and identity verification. Joint accounts transfer immediately to surviving owner. Accounts requiring probate depend on court timelines in the applicable jurisdiction (DC, MD, VA, or NJ). Overseas military survivors coordinate through the general Member Service Center or the credit union's European locations in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany. Delays are almost always caused by incomplete paperwork—gathering all required documents before filing the initial claim helps avoid back-and-forth.
Documentation required by Andrews FCU includes Certified copy of the death certificate, Government-issued photo ID for each beneficiary or claimant, and Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if probate is required), along with additional paperwork that varies by account type. All death certificates and court documents must be certified copies.
Frequently asked questions
Download the Payable-On-Death Beneficiary Designation Form from the Andrews FCU Forms page (andrewsfcu.org/Learn/Resources/Forms). Complete the form with your account information and up to four beneficiaries (equal shares, Social Security numbers required). Submit the completed form via secure message through online banking, by email, or at any branch location. The designation is not effective until received and processed by Andrews FCU. IRA beneficiary designations are handled through a separate process.
Andrews FCU serves active-duty military and DoD civilians at overseas locations in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany, and estate settlement does not require returning stateside. Notify the credit union by calling the international line at 00.800.4875.3535 (or (800) 487-5500 from the U.S.), or coordinate through a European branch. Submit a certified death certificate, your government-issued photo ID, and any court appointment (Letters Testamentary or of Administration) by secure message through Digital Banking or by email to DepositSupportServices@andrewsfcu.org, or mail them to Deposit Support Services, 5711 Allentown Road, Suitland, MD 20746. If a POD beneficiary was named, the payee receives an equal pro rata share by check after proof of death and identity; otherwise the account passes through the decedent's estate.
Andrews FCU does not appear to publish a separate estate services or death claims department. Contact the Member Service Center at (800) 487-5500 during business hours (Monday-Friday 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM ET, Saturday 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM ET) or visit any branch location to initiate the death notification and estate settlement process. Bring a certified copy of the death certificate and valid government-issued photo ID.
Yes. You can name a revocable living trust as a POD (Payable-On-Death) beneficiary on eligible deposit accounts such as checking, savings, money market, and share certificates using the Payable-On-Death Beneficiary Designation Form. Alternatively, you can retitle accounts directly into the trust by visiting a branch with the trust document or Certificate of Trust, trustee identification, and the trust EIN. IRA accounts cannot be retitled to a trust, but a trust can typically be named as the IRA beneficiary by contacting Andrews FCU directly.
The outcome depends on the account ownership structure. Joint accounts with right of survivorship transfer full ownership to the surviving owner automatically. Accounts with a POD beneficiary designation are disbursed to the named payees in equal pro rata shares after proof of death and identity verification. Single-owner accounts without a POD designation pass through the decedent's estate and the probate process, requiring Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration. Contact the Member Service Center at (800) 487-5500 as soon as possible to initiate the process.
Andrews FCU's Deposit Support Services can be reached by phone at 1-800-487-5500 and email at DepositSupportServices@andrewsfcu.org for questions throughout the claims process.
If the deceased held multiple Andrews FCU accounts, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The Deposit Support Services can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.
Sources
Data sourced from Andrews FCU primary sources (28 pages reviewed). How we research.
Member Service Center
Andrews Federal Credit Union, 5711 Allentown Road, Suitland, MD 20746
Member Service Center
Andrews Federal Credit Union, 5711 Allentown Road, Suitland, MD 20746
Deposit Support Services
Andrews Federal Credit Union, 5711 Allentown Road, Suitland, MD 20746
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