What to do when a Associated Bank account holder dies
Contact Associated Bank's Private Wealth - Trust & Estate Administration — 4-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.
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Phone1-800-236-8866
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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.
Before contacting Associated Bank, have the account holder's full name, date of birth, and any available account numbers ready. A certified death certificate is required to initiate the claim.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
The death claim process at Associated Bank works as follows:
Filing a claim
1
Contact Associated Bank Customer Care at 1-800-236-8866 or visit a branch to notify the bank of the account holder's death
2
Submit a certified copy of the death certificate
3
Choose the appropriate settlement path:
- POD accounts: beneficiary provides government-issued photo ID and receives funds without court involvement
- Joint accounts with right of survivorship: surviving account holder retains access; provide death certificate to update records
- Non-POD individual accounts: executor or legal representative provides Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from probate court
- Trust-owned accounts: successor trustee provides trust documentation, death certificate, and trustee identification
4
Associated 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.
1
Notify Associated Bank of the borrower's death by calling Mortgage Direct Lending at 1-800-236-3617 or Customer Care at 1-800-236-8866
2
Provide initial account identification:
- Deceased borrower's full legal name, Social Security number, and loan number
- Certified copy of the death certificate
3
Request information about the Successor in Interest process to establish your legal interest in the property
4
Provide documentation proving your ownership interest: probated will, court order, recorded deed, or trust document naming you as successor trustee or beneficiary
5
Associated Bank will review your documentation and confirm your status as a Successor in Interest
6
Once confirmed, discuss available options:
- Continue making payments on the existing loan
- Apply for loan assumption
- Refinance the mortgage
- Pay off the remaining balance
7
Continue 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.
Expected 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. Delays are almost always caused by incomplete paperwork—gathering all required documents before filing the initial claim helps avoid back-and-forth.
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
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.
For joint accounts with right of survivorship (WROS), the surviving account holder retains full access to the account. You should provide a certified death certificate to the bank so they can update their records and remove the deceased owner. The account funds do not go through probate. Visit an Associated Bank branch or call Customer Care at 1-800-236-8866 to report the death and update the account.
Associated Bank's WE CARE Department can be reached by phone at 1-800-236-8866 and email at wecare@associatedbank.com 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.
Phone1-800-236-8866
Private Banking
Home Equity & Auto Lending
Mortgage Direct Lending
Auto Finance
HSA / Benefits Connection (Participant)
HSA / Benefits Connection (Employer)
Escrow Analysis Questions
Personal Visa Credit Card
Business Credit Card
WebsiteLearn more→
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
WE CARE Feedback Line
Verified Apr 2026
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