What to do when a BECU account holder dies
Contact BECU's BECU Trust Services (Members Trust Company) — 5-step process, 14 required documents, and allow 3 or more weeks for account research to be completed
BECU, PO Box 97050, Seattle, WA 98124-9750
BECU Trust Services (Members Trust Company)
BECU Trust Services, PO Box 97050, MS 1017-1, Seattle, WA 98124-9750
Account Servicing
BECU MS 1094-2, Attention: Account Servicing, PO Box 97050, Seattle, WA 98124-9750
After a member of BECU dies, the Account Servicing manages the transfer of accounts. POD-designated and trust-owned accounts pass directly to beneficiaries. Accounts held solely in the member's name may require probate court documents—Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration—before funds can be released.
Death claims at BECU 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
Here is the step-by-step death claim process at BECU:
Filing a claim
- Joint accounts with survivorship: surviving owner retains access; close accounts under deceased's SSN and open new accounts under survivor's name
- POD beneficiary accounts: beneficiaries submit the Adult Beneficiary Request to Claim Funds form (Form 342), Minor Beneficiary form (Form 341), or Organization Beneficiary form (Form 343)
- Estate accounts: personal representative provides Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration, completes the Claim Funds of Deceased Member form (Form 6993), and may open an estate account using the Request to Open an Estate Account (BECU form 1538)
- Small estates: complete the Small Estate Settlement by Affidavit form (Form 2097)
- Trust accounts: successor trustee completes the Trust Account Successor Trustee Certification and Account Closure Request (Form 6829)
- IRA accounts: beneficiaries complete the IRA Beneficiary Disbursement Election form (Form 2100) or Organization variant (Form 2101)
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for claimant
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if personal representative)
- Small Estate Settlement by Affidavit (Form 2097, if estate qualifies)
- Adult Beneficiary Request to Claim Funds (Form 342)
- Minor Beneficiary Request to Claim Funds (Form 341)
- Organization Beneficiary Request to Claim Funds (Form 343)
- IRA Beneficiary Disbursement Election (Form 2100)
- IRA Beneficiary Disbursement Election - Organization (Form 2101)
- Claim Funds of Deceased Member (Form 6993)
- Request to Open an Estate Account (BECU form 1538, for estate accounts)
- Deceased Tax Owner Account Closure Request (Form 6861)
- Trust Account Successor Trustee Certification and Account Closure Request (Form 6829)
- Surviving Heirs Attestation (Form 4776)
What to know at this institution
For mortgage accounts, contact BECU Mortgage department at 877-747-2328. Use the Request to Remove Decedent from Mortgage form (Form 2095) for mortgage changes. For loan loss management, call 206-439-5787. The Successor in Interest Packet (Form P-1250) is available for mortgage assumption. Credit card authorized users must destroy or return cards and cannot continue use after cardholder death. Government deposits made in the decedent's name after date of death are automatically returned. Interest continues reporting under decedent's SSN until accounts are closed. The Deceased Member Documentation Request form (Form 2094) is available for requesting account documentation. Authorization to Release Information forms are available for attorneys (Form 15245) and legal representatives of the estate (Form 15246). If there is a co-borrower on a loan or credit card, the co-borrower may continue to use the account and remains responsible for paying the outstanding balance. Deposit account balances may be applied to outstanding loan balances and any late fees charged after the date of death will be reversed.
Prepare your letter of instruction to BECU
BECU provides its own letter-of-instruction form. Answer a few questions and we complete that official form for you to print and sign.
Build your letter of instructionExpected timelines at BECU: Allow 3 or more weeks for account research to be completed. Delays are almost always caused by incomplete paperwork—gathering all required documents before filing the initial claim helps avoid back-and-forth.
BECU requires several documents to process a claim, including Certified death certificate, Government-issued photo ID for claimant, and Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if personal representative), 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
The required forms depend on your relationship to the deceased and the account type. POD beneficiaries use the Adult Beneficiary Request to Claim Funds (Form 342), Minor Beneficiary form (Form 341), or Organization Beneficiary form (Form 343). Estate representatives use the Claim Funds of Deceased Member form (Form 6993) along with Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration. Washington small estates may use the Small Estate Settlement by Affidavit (Form 2097). Trust successor trustees use the Trust Account Successor Trustee Certification and Account Closure Request (Form 6829). IRA beneficiaries use the IRA Beneficiary Disbursement Election form (Form 2100, or Form 2101 for an organization). Allow three or more weeks for BECU account research to complete.
If there is a co-borrower on a loan or credit card, the co-borrower may continue to use the account and remains responsible for paying the outstanding balance. Credit card authorized users must destroy or return cards and cannot continue use after the cardholder dies. Deposit account balances may be applied to outstanding loan balances, and any late fees charged after the date of death are reversed. For mortgage accounts, contact the BECU Mortgage department at 877-747-2328; the Request to Remove Decedent from Mortgage form (Form 2095) and Successor in Interest Packet (Form P-1250) are available for mortgage changes. For loan loss management, call 206-439-5787.
BECU's Account Servicing can be reached by phone at 1-800-233-2328 for questions throughout the claims process.
When the deceased had multiple BECU accounts, some may need separate claims while others can be handled together. The Account Servicing can clarify what's needed for each account type.
Sources
Data sourced from BECU primary sources (22 pages reviewed). How we research.
BECU, PO Box 97050, Seattle, WA 98124-9750
BECU Trust Services (Members Trust Company)
BECU Trust Services, PO Box 97050, MS 1017-1, Seattle, WA 98124-9750
Account Servicing
BECU MS 1094-2, Attention: Account Servicing, PO Box 97050, Seattle, WA 98124-9750
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