What to do when a BancFirst account holder dies
Contact BancFirst's Trust & Investments Division — 5-step process, 6 required documents, and pod and joint accounts may be processed within days of receiving complete documentation. estate accounts vary based on probate complexity and court timelines.
BancFirst Call Center
BancFirst, 100 N Broadway Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73102
Trust & Investments Division
BancFirst Trust & Investments, 100 N Broadway Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73102
Customer Service / Trust & Investments
BancFirst, 100 N Broadway Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73102
What happens to BancFirst accounts after the account holder dies depends on how each account was titled. Beneficiary-designated and trust-owned accounts transfer directly. Accounts in the deceased's name alone go through the estate, and the executor or administrator works with BancFirst's Customer Service / Trust & Investments ((844) 545-3059) to claim the funds.
The claim process begins with a phone call to (844) 545-3059. Have the account holder's full name, account numbers, and a certified death certificate available when making initial contact.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
To file a claim after an account holder's death, here is what BancFirst requires:
Filing a claim
- For POD accounts: after outstanding checks and debits are paid, the remaining funds are held for or paid to the living primary (or contingent) beneficiaries in equal shares and are NOT property of the deceased owner's estate; each beneficiary provides government-issued ID and the death certificate
- For joint accounts with right of survivorship: the balance becomes the surviving joint owner's property; the survivor provides the death certificate to remove the deceased from the account
- For individual (sole) accounts with no POD beneficiary: ownership passes as part of the deceased's estate and is claimed by the personal representative
- For trust and In Trust For accounts: the successor trustee provides trust documentation, death certificate, and government-issued ID
- For estate/probate accounts: provide Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from probate court
- For Oklahoma small estates: a Small Estate Affidavit may be used if the estate qualifies under 58 O.S. 393
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for the claimant or beneficiary
- Account number(s) of the deceased (if known)
- Trust documents (if trust-owned account)
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if estate/probate required)
- Small Estate Affidavit (if eligible under Oklahoma law -- 58 O.S. 393)
What to know at this institution
BancFirst does not publish a dedicated estate services portal or separate death claims phone number. Death claims are handled through general customer service or at branch locations. Under the Deposit Account Agreement's "Death or Incompetency" clause, neither death nor an adjudication of incompetence revokes BancFirst's authority to pay or collect items until it knows of the death and has a reasonable opportunity to act; even with knowledge, BancFirst may for 10 days after the date of death pay checks drawn on or before the date of death unless a person claiming an interest orders a stop payment. A power of attorney/agent's authority terminates on the death of the last surviving account owner. For accounts managed by the Trust & Investments division, contact the regional office directly: Oklahoma City (405) 270-4778, Tulsa (918) 664-6660, or Southern Oklahoma (580) 251-7027.
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.
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Deceased borrower's full legal name and loan number
- Documentation proving ownership interest: probated will, court order, recorded deed, or trust document
- Continue making payments
- Apply for loan assumption
- Refinance the mortgage
- Pay off the balance
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for the heir or personal representative
- Documentation proving ownership interest (probated will, court order, recorded deed, or trust document)
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if going through probate)
Claims Contact
Phone: (405) 270-4700
What to know at this institution
Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act (12 U.S.C. 1701j-3), BancFirst 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.
Opening an account for the estate itself
Checks made out to the estate deposit into an account titled to the estate, opened by the appointed executor or administrator under the estate's EIN.
How to open an estate account at BancFirst →How long the process takes at BancFirst: POD and joint accounts may be processed within days of receiving complete documentation. Estate accounts vary based on probate complexity and court timelines. The most common reason for delays is missing or incomplete documentation, so submitting everything upfront is the best way to keep things moving.
Documentation required by BancFirst includes Certified death certificate, Government-issued photo ID for the claimant or beneficiary, and Account number(s) of the deceased (if known), along with additional paperwork that varies by account type. All death certificates and court documents must be certified copies.
Frequently asked questions
BancFirst does not offer online beneficiary management. A Payable on Death (POD) designation on a checking, savings, money market, or CD account must be added in person at any of the 105 Oklahoma branches or by calling the call center at (844) 545-3059. A trust can be named as a POD beneficiary on deposit accounts. IRA beneficiary designations use a separate IRA-specific form, not the deposit-account POD form, so an IRA beneficiary change cannot be combined with a POD update on a checking or savings account.
BancFirst Mortgage Lending handles deceased-borrower mortgages through a Successor in Interest process; report the death at (405) 270-4700. Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Act (12 U.S.C. 1701j-3), BancFirst cannot accelerate the loan when a home passes to a surviving spouse, child, relative, or the borrower's revocable living trust. A confirmed successor may continue payments, assume the loan, refinance, or pay it off. Heirs should keep making monthly payments during the review to avoid default.
BancFirst's Customer Service / Trust & Investments can be reached by phone at (844) 545-3059 for questions throughout the claims process.
When the deceased had multiple BancFirst accounts, some may need separate claims while others can be handled together. The Customer Service / Trust & Investments can clarify what's needed for each account type.
Sources
Data sourced from BancFirst primary sources (15 pages reviewed). How we research.
BancFirst Call Center
BancFirst, 100 N Broadway Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73102
Trust & Investments Division
BancFirst Trust & Investments, 100 N Broadway Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73102
Customer Service / Trust & Investments
BancFirst, 100 N Broadway Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73102
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