What to do when a Bell Bank account holder dies
Contact Bell Bank's Bell Bank Wealth Management — Trust and Financial Planning — 6-step process, 6 required documents, and varies based on the settlement path and documentation. pod, joint, and trust-titled accounts generally release faster than accounts requiring probate, which depend on court timelines.
B
Customer Service
Phone701-298-1550
Toll-Free800-450-8949
24-Hour Phone Banking
Personal Online Banking Support
WebsiteLearn more→
Bell Bank Wealth Management — Trust and Financial Planning
Phone701-451-3000
Toll-Free800-709-5781
Mailing Address
Bell Bank, PO Box 10877, Fargo, ND 58106-0877
WebsiteLearn more→
Customer Service (Death Notification)
Phone701-298-1550
Toll-Free800-450-8949
Mailing Address
Bell Bank, PO Box 10877, Fargo, ND 58106-0877
Trust and Financial Planning
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jun 2026
When a Bell 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 Bell Bank's Bell Bank Wealth Management — Trust and Financial Planning (701-298-1550) to access and distribute the funds.
Bell Bank offers an online claims portal that makes the initial filing process more straightforward. Survivors can also initiate claims by phone or by mailing documentation directly.
Death claim process
To file a claim after an account holder's death, here is what Bell Bank requires:
Filing a claim
1
Notify Bell Bank of the death by calling customer service at 800-450-8949 or by visiting any branch in North Dakota, Minnesota, or Arizona
2
Provide initial information:
- Deceased’s full legal name and account number or Social Security number
- Date of death
- Your name, government-issued photo ID, and relationship to the deceased
3
Provide a certified copy of the death certificate
4
Submit documentation based on how the account is settled:
- POD beneficiary claim: beneficiary ID and proof of identity
- Joint account with right of survivorship: surviving owner ID
- Trust-titled account: trust agreement or Certification of Trust and successor trustee ID
- Probate estate: Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration
- Small estate: a small estate affidavit if the estate qualifies under the applicable state’s threshold (North Dakota, Minnesota, or Arizona)
5
A banker will identify the deceased’s Bell Bank accounts and provide the distribution or claim forms
6
Complete and return the claim forms with supporting documents to release the funds
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for the claimant
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if probate is required)
- Trust agreement or Certification of Trust (if the account is held in trust)
- Small estate affidavit (if the estate qualifies under North Dakota, Minnesota, or Arizona law)
- Beneficiary identification (for POD or IRA beneficiary claims)
Bell Bank handles death claims through its branches and customer service team rather than a dedicated online estate portal. Accounts with a POD beneficiary or held in a trust generally avoid probate. Small estates may qualify to bypass probate under the applicable state’s small estate threshold (North Dakota, Minnesota, or Arizona). For trust and wealth management accounts, contact Bell Bank Wealth Management at 800-709-5781.
Expected timelines at Bell Bank: Varies based on the settlement path and documentation. POD, joint, and trust-titled accounts generally release faster than accounts requiring probate, which depend on court timelines. Delays are almost always caused by incomplete paperwork—gathering all required documents before filing the initial claim helps avoid back-and-forth.
Documentation required by Bell Bank includes Certified copy of the death certificate, Government-issued photo ID for the claimant, and Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if probate is required), along with additional paperwork that varies by account type. All death certificates and court documents must be certified copies.
Frequently asked questions
Bell Bank does not offer Payable on Death (POD) beneficiary setup online. Visit a branch in North Dakota, Minnesota, or Arizona, or call customer service at 800-450-8949, to add a POD beneficiary to a checking, savings, money market, or CD account. Bring the beneficiary’s full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number, and your government-issued photo ID. POD-designated funds pass outside of probate and override instructions in a will.
Call Bell Bank customer service at 800-450-8949 (weekdays 7 a.m.-9 p.m. CT, weekends 8 a.m.-5 p.m. CT) or visit any branch in North Dakota, Minnesota, or Arizona. Provide the deceased’s name, account number or Social Security number, date of death, your relationship, and a certified copy of the death certificate. A banker will identify the deceased’s accounts and provide the claim forms. For trust and wealth management accounts, contact Bell Bank Wealth Management at 800-709-5781.
A Bell Bank Variable Rate IRA passes to the named beneficiary on file, outside of probate. IRAs cannot be titled to a trust, but a trust can be named as the IRA beneficiary. The beneficiary should contact customer service at 800-450-8949 or visit a branch with a certified copy of the death certificate and identification to claim the account. IRAs must be opened and beneficiary updates made at a branch rather than online.
Bell Bank's Customer Service (Death Notification) can be reached by phone at 800-450-8949 for questions throughout the claims process.
If the deceased held multiple Bell Bank accounts, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The Bell Bank Wealth Management — Trust and Financial Planning can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.
B
Customer Service
Phone701-298-1550
Toll-Free800-450-8949
24-Hour Phone Banking
Personal Online Banking Support
WebsiteLearn more→
Bell Bank Wealth Management — Trust and Financial Planning
Phone701-451-3000
Toll-Free800-709-5781
Mailing Address
Bell Bank, PO Box 10877, Fargo, ND 58106-0877
WebsiteLearn more→
Customer Service (Death Notification)
Phone701-298-1550
Toll-Free800-450-8949
Mailing Address
Bell Bank, PO Box 10877, Fargo, ND 58106-0877
Trust and Financial Planning
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jun 2026
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