What to do when a Associated Bank account holder dies
Contact Associated Bank's Private Wealth - Trust & Estate Administration — 7-step process, 5 required documents, and pod beneficiaries can receive funds shortly after providing death certificate and valid id. estate accounts requiring probate documentation may take several weeks to process.
Private Wealth - Trust & Estate Administration
Phone1-800-431-4649
Private Banking
Associated Investment Services
WebsiteLearn more →
WE CARE Department
Phone1-800-236-8866
Mailing Address
Associated Bank, WE CARE Department, 1305 Main Street, MS 7722, Stevens Point, WI 54481-0327
Verified Mar 2026
When a Associated Bank account holder passes away, the next step depends on how the accounts were set up. Accounts with beneficiary designations or trust ownership transfer outside of probate. Accounts titled solely in the deceased's name require the estate's legal representative to work with Associated Bank's Private Wealth - Trust & Estate Administration (1-800-236-8866) to access and distribute the funds.
Gather the account holder's full name, date of birth, and any known account or policy numbers before contacting Associated Bank. A certified death certificate is the primary document required to start any claim.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
Here is the step-by-step death claim process at Associated Bank:
Filing a claim
1Contact Associated Bank Customer Care at 1-800-236-8866 or visit a branch to notify the bank of the account holder's death
2Submit a certified copy of the death certificate
3For POD accounts: beneficiary provides government-issued photo ID and receives funds without court involvement
4For joint accounts with right of survivorship: surviving account holder retains access; provide death certificate to update records
5For non-POD individual accounts: executor or legal representative provides Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from probate court
6For trust-owned accounts: successor trustee provides trust documentation, death certificate, and trustee identification
7Associated Bank reviews documentation and distributes assets per beneficiary designation, trust terms, or estate instructions
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for beneficiary, executor, or successor trustee
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if no POD designation and account not jointly owned)
- Trust documents and successor trustee documentation (if trust-owned account)
- Small Estate Affidavit (if applicable under state law)
Associated Bank offers Estate Checking accounts for executors to manage estate funds during administration, with a $100 minimum opening deposit and no minimum balance requirement. Contact a branch or call customer care to set up an estate account.
Mortgage and home lending
Mortgages and home equity loans are liabilities, not assets. They do not have beneficiaries and cannot be retitled to a trust. When a borrower dies, the loan obligation transfers with the property to whoever inherits it. Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Act, the lender cannot accelerate the loan or call it due when the property transfers to a surviving spouse, child, or the borrower's revocable trust.
1Notify Associated Bank of the borrower's death by calling the mortgage lending team at 1-866-536-3222 or Customer Care at 1-800-236-8866
2Provide the deceased borrower's full legal name, Social Security number, and loan number
3Submit a certified copy of the death certificate
4Request information about the Successor in Interest process to establish your legal interest in the property
5Provide documentation proving your ownership interest: probated will, court order, recorded deed, or trust document naming you as successor trustee or beneficiary
6Associated Bank will review your documentation and confirm your status as a Successor in Interest
7Once confirmed, discuss options: continue making payments, apply for loan assumption, refinance, or pay off the balance
8Continue making monthly mortgage payments during the review process to avoid default
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for the heir or personal representative
- Documentation proving ownership interest in the property (probated will, court order, recorded deed, or trust document)
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if going through probate)
- Marriage certificate (if surviving spouse)
Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act (12 U.S.C. 1701j-3), Associated Bank cannot enforce a due-on-sale clause when the property transfers to a surviving spouse, child, relative upon death, or the borrower's revocable living trust. Confirmed Successors in Interest are entitled to account information and loss mitigation options under CFPB mortgage servicing rules. Customer Care: 1-800-236-8866.
Processing timelines at Associated Bank: POD beneficiaries can receive funds shortly after providing death certificate and valid ID. Estate accounts requiring probate documentation may take several weeks to process.. Incomplete documentation is the most common cause of delays—submitting all required documents with the initial claim helps avoid additional processing time.
Associated Bank requires several documents to process a claim, including Certified death certificate, Government-issued photo ID for beneficiary, executor, or successor trustee, and Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if no POD designation and account not jointly owned), and additional documentation depending on the account type. Certified copies are typically needed—photocopies are generally not accepted for death certificates or court documents.
Frequently asked questions
Visit an Associated Bank branch or call 1-800-236-8866 to request a POD (Payable on Death) beneficiary designation form. You will need to provide your beneficiary's full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number. All account holders must sign the form to add, change, or remove POD beneficiaries.
Yes. You can designate a trust as a POD beneficiary on most standard deposit accounts at Associated Bank. This can help ensure that account funds pass according to the terms of the trust upon the account holder's death.
A payable on death (POD) beneficiary designation lets you name someone who, upon your death, will receive your bank account funds without court involvement. Beneficiaries have no ownership in the account until all account holders are deceased. If multiple beneficiaries are named, funds are divided equally unless otherwise specified on the form.
Contact Associated Bank Customer Care at 1-800-236-8866 (Monday-Friday 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. CT, Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT) or visit a branch to notify the bank of the account holder's death. Bring a certified death certificate and your government-issued photo ID. The required documentation depends on the account type: POD beneficiaries need only their ID and the death certificate, while non-POD accounts require Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
Associated Bank's WE CARE Department can be reached by phone at 1-800-236-8866 for questions throughout the claims process.
If the deceased held multiple Associated Bank accounts, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The Private Wealth - Trust & Estate Administration can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.
Private Wealth - Trust & Estate Administration
Phone1-800-431-4649
Private Banking
Associated Investment Services
WebsiteLearn more →
WE CARE Department
Phone1-800-236-8866
Mailing Address
Associated Bank, WE CARE Department, 1305 Main Street, MS 7722, Stevens Point, WI 54481-0327
Verified Mar 2026
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