What to do when a BECU account holder dies
Report the death to BECU's Deceased Account Servicing at 1-800-233-2328
After a member of BECU dies, the Deceased 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 claim process
Here is the step-by-step death claim process at BECU:
Filing a claim
- Surviving joint account holder: Form 6861, then open new accounts as Tax Owner
- Payable-on-death beneficiary: Form 342 (adult), 341 (minor) or 343 (organization), one form per beneficiary
- Executor or administrator: Form 6993 with a certified copy of the Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration
- Washington small estate: Form 6993 with the Small Estate Settlement by Affidavit (Form 2097) attached
- Surviving heir where the balance is under $1,000: Form 6993
- Named survivor under a Community Property Agreement: Form 6993 with a copy of the agreement attached
- Successor trustee of a trust account: Form 6829
- IRA beneficiary: Form 2100, or Form 2101 for an organization
- Payable-on-death beneficiary: 342, 341 or 343
- Executor, administrator, Community Property Agreement survivor or small-estate heir: 6993
- Successor trustee: 6829
- Surviving joint account holder: 6861
- IRA beneficiary: 2100 or 2101
Required Documents
- Long-form certified death certificateForm 6993 asks for the long form specifically, not the short certificate.
- Government-issued photo ID for the claimant
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration, if you are the personal representativeA certified copy is filed with form 6993.
- Small Estate Settlement by Affidavit (Form 2097), if the estate qualifiesAttached to form 6993.
- Community Property Agreement, for a named survivor claiming under form 6993A copy is attached to form 6993.
- Certified court documents appointing you and a certified death certificate, to open an estate accountFiled with the Request to Open an Estate Account (BECU form 1538).
- Request to Remove Decedent from Mortgage (Form 2095), for a mortgageA Successor in Interest Packet (Form P-1250) is used for an assumption.
Claims Contact
Website: Online portal →
Forms BECU issues12
- Claim Funds of Deceased Member (Form 6993)
Completed by an executor or administrator, a Community Property Agreement survivor, or a surviving heir. Available to download.1
- Adult Beneficiary Request to Claim Funds (Form 342)
Completed by each adult payable-on-death beneficiary. Available to download.2
- Minor Beneficiary Request to Claim Funds (Form 341)
Available to download.3
- Organization Beneficiary Request to Claim Funds (Form 343)
Completed by an organization named as payable-on-death beneficiary. Available to download.4
- Deceased Tax Owner Account Closure Request by Joint Account Holder (Form 6861)
Completed by the surviving joint account holder. Available to download.5
- Small Estate Settlement by Affidavit (Form 2097)
Available to download.6
- Trust Account Successor Trustee Certification and Account Closure Request (Form 6829)
Completed by the successor trustee. Available to download.7
- IRA Beneficiary Disbursement Election (Form 2100)
Completed by the IRA beneficiary. Available to download.8
- IRA Beneficiary Disbursement Election - Organization (Form 2101)
Completed by an organization named as IRA beneficiary. Available to download.9
- Surviving Heirs Attestation (Form 4776)
Available to download.10
- Request to Open an Estate Account (BECU form 1538)
Completed by the estate representative. Available to download.11
- Deceased Member Documentation Request (Form 2094)
Available to download.12
What happens to each kind of account7
- Joint account with survivorship
The survivor keeps using the debit card and checks while the account stays open, then closes it with Form 6861 and opens new accounts as Tax Owner. Form 6861 cancels the ATM and debit cards on those accounts.5
An account on which the deceased person was the Primary Account Holder must be closed rather than merely re-registered.13
- Joint account without survivorship
The deceased person's share goes to the payable-on-death designee and, if there is none, to the estate.13
- Payable-on-death account
On a joint account with right of survivorship, a payable-on-death designation pays only after the last account holder dies.13
Each beneficiary files their own claim form, one form per beneficiary, and the funds are made payable to that beneficiary's name.2, 3, 4
- Fiduciary account
An estate account uses an IRS-issued TIN, never a Social Security number. Co-executors can be set up only where the court granted them authority to act independently.11
- IRA
The beneficiary selects a disbursement option on Form 2100, or 2101 for an organization. Where no beneficiary is on file, BECU determines succession with Form 4776: surviving spouse, then surviving children, then a court-appointed personal representative, then a small estate affidavit.8, 10
- Loan
A co-borrower may keep using the account and owes the balance. Where the deceased person was the sole borrower, BECU removes available credit limits, may apply deposit balances to the loan, reverses late fees charged after the date of death, and accepts payment from anyone once it has the certified death certificate.14
- Credit card
A co-borrower may keep using the card and owes the balance, and is removed from it once the survivor is a Tax Owner of a BECU Member Share Savings account. An authorized user must destroy or return the card and cannot use it after the cardholder dies.14
State law on paying a balance without lettersOregon, Washington
- Oregon
ORS 723.466
Oregon law permits a credit union to pay from a deceased member's balance on an affidavit, without letters testamentary or letters of administration.ORS 723.466Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
Paid to: surviving spouse
Limit: $25,000 held at the institution and $25,000 in total from every holder
When: at any time after the death
Paid to: Oregon Health Authority or Department of Human Services (no surviving spouse; preferred claim under ORS 411.708, 411.795 or 416.350)
Limit: $25,000 held at the institution and $25,000 in total from every holder
When: not less than 46 days and no more than 75 days after the death
Paid to: surviving children 18 or older; else surviving parent(s); else surviving brothers and sisters 18 or older; else any other surviving heir
Limit: $25,000 held at the institution and $25,000 in total from every holder
When: not earlier than 76 days after the death; not earlier than 46 days after the death where the institution obtains prior verbal or written authorization from both the Oregon Health Authority and the Department of Human Services
Paid to: estate administrator of the State Treasurer (intestate, no known heirs)
Limit: $25,000 held at the institution and $25,000 in total from every holder
The section permits the payment. It does not require the credit union to make it. The section sets further conditions.
- Washington
RCW 30A.22.190(2)
Washington law permits a credit union to pay from a deceased member's balance on an affidavit, without letters testamentary or letters of administration.RCW 30A.22.190(2)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
Limit: $2,500 held at the institution
Paid to: the surviving spouse, next of kin, funeral director, or other creditor who may appear to be entitled thereto
The section permits the payment. It does not require the credit union to make it. The section sets further conditions.
RCW 30A.22.190(1)
Washington law permits a credit union to pay from a deceased member's balance on an affidavit, without letters testamentary or letters of administration.RCW 30A.22.190(1)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
Limit: The section sets no dollar limit.
Paid to: the surviving spouse (party to a community property agreement with the decedent that reaches the funds)
The section permits the payment. It does not require the credit union to make it. The section sets further conditions.
RCW 11.62.030
Washington law permits a credit union to pay from a deceased member's balance on an affidavit, without letters testamentary or letters of administration.RCW 11.62.030Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
Paid to: surviving spouse or surviving domestic partner
Limit: $1,000 held at the institution
The section permits the payment. It does not require the credit union to make it. The section sets further conditions.
Accounts handled elsewhere3
- BECU Mortgage department
BECU mortgages14
Phone: 1-877-747-2328
- BECU Loss Management
Surrender of collateral on an unpaid loan14
Phone: 1-206-439-5787
- BECU after-hours card support
Card support outside business hours14
Phone: 1-866-820-2999
What BECU provides to the estate2
- Statement copies
Account records are requested with the Deceased Member Documentation Request (Form 2094). Authorization to Release Information forms exist for an attorney (Form 15245) and for the legal representative of the estate (Form 15246).14
- Tax forms
BECU keeps reporting interest earned to the IRS under the deceased person's Social Security number until the accounts are closed.14
What BECU's agreement and guidance say7
- Payments after the death
"Once we learn of the death, we may pay checks or honor other payments or transfer orders authorized by the deceased for a period of 10 days unless we receive instructions from an authorized individual to stop payment on the checks or other items."13
BECU can reopen a closed account without notice to settle a returned deposit or honor a preauthorized payment.5
- Deposits after the death
Government deposits made in the deceased person's name after the date of death are returned automatically. Funds from other depositing companies or agencies may have to be returned.14
- Debts owed to the institution
Funds in the account are payable after the death "subject to BECU's lien."13
- Disputes between claimants
BECU may interplead disputed funds in a Washington state court and be discharged of liability.13
- Indemnity a claimant may have to give
BECU may "require anyone who claims funds in your Account after your death to indemnify BECU for any losses resulting from honoring that claim."13
- Wills, probate and small estates
BECU "does not accept wills or provide legal advice."14
A Small Estate Affidavit supports a claim for funds on form 6993, but BECU does not accept one to open an estate account; that request needs the court appointment.11
Form 6993 has a basis-of-claim box for a surviving heir where the balance is under $1,000 and there is no Community Property Agreement and no estate controlling the funds. That path needs no affidavit and no Letters.1
- Membership
The estate representative must satisfy BECU membership rules to open an estate account unless the deceased person was already a member.11
Sources14
- 1.Claim Funds of Deceased Member (BECU 6993)
- 2.Adult Beneficiary Request to Claim Funds (BECU 342)
- 3.Minor Beneficiary Request to Claim Funds (BECU 341)
- 4.Organization Beneficiary Request to Claim Funds (BECU 343)
- 5.Deceased Tax Owner Account Closure Request by Joint Account Holder (BECU 6861)
- 6.Small Estate Settlement by Affidavit (BECU 2097)
- 7.Trust Account - Successor Trustee Certification and Account Closure Request (BECU 6829)
- 8.IRA Beneficiary Disbursement Election (BECU 2100)
- 9.Forms (Deceased Account Management section)
- 10.Surviving Heirs Attestation (BECU 4776)
- 11.Request to Open an Estate Account (BECU 1538)
- 12.Deceased Member Documentation Request (Form 2094)
- 13.BECU Account Agreements Booklet (form 6514)
- 14.Handling the Finances of a Deceased Person
Allow 3 or more weeks for BECU account research to be completed.
BECU's Deceased Account Servicing can be reached by phone at 1-800-233-2328 and fax at 1-206-805-5612 for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
(1)·
Data sourced from BECU primary sources (31 pages reviewed). How we research.
BECU death claims support
Deceased Account Servicing (M/S 1094-2)
Phone
Toll-free
Mortgage
Loss Management (collateral surrender)
Local member support
After Hours (card support)
Fax
Hours
Mailing address
Website
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