What to do when a Ascend FCU account holder dies
Contact Ascend FCU — 5-step process, 5 required documents, and pod and joint accounts processed upon verification of documents; estate accounts vary based on probate requirements
Member Services
PO Box 1210 | 520 Airpark Drive, Tullahoma, TN 37388
Member Services
PO Box 1210 | 520 Airpark Drive, Tullahoma, TN 37388
Death Claims / Member Services
Ascend Federal Credit Union, PO Box 1210 | 520 Airpark Drive, Tullahoma, TN 37388
The Death Claims / Member Services at Ascend FCU coordinates account transitions after a member's death. How each account is handled depends on its setup: POD and trust accounts transfer automatically, while solely-owned accounts typically require court authorization through Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
The claim process begins with a phone call to 1-800-342-3086. Have the account holder's full name, account numbers, and a certified death certificate available when making initial contact.
Death claim process
To file a claim after an account holder's death, here is what Ascend FCU requires:
Filing a claim
- For POD accounts: named beneficiaries provide certified death certificate and photo ID to claim funds directly
- For joint accounts with right of survivorship: surviving owner provides certified death certificate to remove the deceased from the account
- For non-POD/non-joint accounts: executor or administrator provides Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from probate court
- For trust-titled accounts: successor trustee provides trust document, death certificate, and trustee identification
- For IRA accounts: beneficiaries contact Ascend and request IRA distribution paperwork; call 800-342-3086 and ask for an IRA/Certificate Support Representative
- For investment accounts through LPL Financial: a separate claims process applies; contact Ascend Retirement & Investment Services at 931-454-2967
- For AD&D insurance claims: contact TruStage Plan Administrator at 877-309-6576 (Monday-Friday 7 AM - 8 PM CST, Saturday 8:30 AM - 5 PM CST)
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for claimant
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if no POD/joint account)
- Small Estate Affidavit (if estate qualifies under Tennessee's Small Estate Probate Act; the $50,000 gross-probate-property threshold is defined at Tenn. Code Ann. 30-4-102 and the affidavit/administration procedure is Tenn. Code Ann. 30-4-103)
- Trust documents and trustee identification (if trust is named as beneficiary or for trust-titled accounts)
What to know at this institution
Ascend provides $2,000 of Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance at no cost to primary members age 18 to 69 through TruStage Insurance Agency. For AD&D claims, contact TruStage Plan Administrator at 877-309-6576. For investment accounts held through LPL Financial, a separate claims process applies; contact Ascend Retirement & Investment Services at 931-454-2967. A Tennessee small estate affidavit may be available for estates whose gross probate property does not exceed $50,000 -- the threshold defined at Tenn. Code Ann. 30-4-102 (raised to $50,000 by 2023 Public Chapter 297), administered by affidavit under Tenn. Code Ann. 30-4-103.
Prepare your letter of instruction to Ascend FCU
Ascend FCU accepts a claimant-drafted letter of instruction. We draft it for you — addressed to Ascend FCU's verified claims department, with the documents it requires enclosed.
Build your letter of instructionProcessing timelines at Ascend FCU: POD and joint accounts processed upon verification of documents; estate accounts vary based on probate requirements. Incomplete documentation is the most common cause of delays—submitting all required documents with the initial claim helps avoid additional processing time.
Documentation required by Ascend FCU includes Certified death certificate, Government-issued photo ID for claimant, and Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if no POD/joint account), along with additional paperwork that varies by account type. All death certificates and court documents must be certified copies.
Frequently asked questions
Ascend does not offer online beneficiary designation. You must visit a branch, call Member Services at 800-342-3086 (available 24/7), or request a form by mail. For deposit accounts, a Payable on Death (POD) designation form is used. For IRA accounts, call 800-342-3086 and ask for an IRA/Certificate Support Representative. For investment accounts through LPL Financial, contact Ascend Retirement & Investment Services at 931-454-2967. Review beneficiary designations after major life events such as marriage, divorce, birth, or death of a beneficiary.
Funds in POD accounts are payable to the designated beneficiaries upon presentation of a certified death certificate and government-issued photo ID. The POD designation is not altered by will; funds pass by operation of law directly to named beneficiaries. If no beneficiary survives the last owner, funds are paid to the estate of the last living owner.
Yes. Ascend provides $2,000 of Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance at no cost to primary members age 18 to 69, through TruStage Insurance Agency. Members must complete and return a form for the insurance to take effect. To file a claim or for questions, contact the TruStage Plan Administrator at 877-309-6576 (Monday-Friday 7 AM - 8 PM CST, Saturday 8:30 AM - 5 PM CST). For general AD&D questions, call TruStage at 888-787-8243.
Yes, where the estate qualifies. Under the Tennessee Small Estate Probate Act (Tenn. Code Ann. 30-4-101 et seq.), an estate whose gross probate property does not exceed $50,000 -- the threshold defined at Tenn. Code Ann. 30-4-102 -- may be administered by affidavit under Tenn. Code Ann. 30-4-103 rather than full probate. A claimant can present the small estate affidavit, a certified death certificate, and government-issued photo ID at any of Ascend's 28 branches or by mail to claim funds in an account that has no surviving Payable on Death beneficiary or joint owner. Accounts with a POD beneficiary or surviving joint owner pass outside probate and do not require the affidavit.
Ascend FCU's Death Claims / Member Services can be reached by phone at 1-800-342-3086 for questions throughout the claims process.
Multiple Ascend FCU accounts may mean multiple claims. Some account types can be processed together, but others require their own documentation. Check with the Death Claims / Member Services to confirm what applies.
Sources
Data sourced from Ascend FCU primary sources (26 pages reviewed). How we research.
Member Services
PO Box 1210 | 520 Airpark Drive, Tullahoma, TN 37388
Member Services
PO Box 1210 | 520 Airpark Drive, Tullahoma, TN 37388
Death Claims / Member Services
Ascend Federal Credit Union, PO Box 1210 | 520 Airpark Drive, Tullahoma, TN 37388
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