What to do when a Black Hills FCU account holder dies
Contact Black Hills FCU — 11-step process, 6 required documents, and pod accounts typically process within 5-10 business days after all documentation is received. accounts requiring probate depend on court timelines.
Phone1-605-718-1818
Toll-Free1-800-482-2428
Fax1-605-646-4136
Mailing Address
Black Hills Federal Credit Union, P.O. Box 1420, Rapid City, SD 57709
WebsiteLearn more →
Phone1-605-718-1818
Toll-Free1-800-482-2428
Fax1-605-646-4136
Mailing Address
Black Hills Federal Credit Union, P.O. Box 1420, Rapid City, SD 57709
WebsiteLearn more →
Member Services - Death Claims
Phone1-605-718-1818
Toll-Free1-800-482-2428
Fax1-605-646-4136
Mailing Address
Black Hills Federal Credit Union, P.O. Box 1420, Rapid City, SD 57709
Verified Mar 2026
When a Black Hills FCU member passes away, the Member Services - Death Claims handles the transition of accounts to beneficiaries or the estate. Accounts with Payable on Death designations or trust ownership transfer outside of probate, while solely-owned accounts may require Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from the probate court.
The claim process begins with a phone call to 1-605-718-1818. Have the account holder's full name, account numbers, and a certified death certificate available when making initial contact.
Death claim process
Here is the step-by-step death claim process at Black Hills FCU:
Filing a claim
1Contact Black Hills FCU at (605) 718-1818 or visit any branch to notify of a member's death
2Submit a certified copy of the death certificate
3For POD accounts: surviving beneficiary provides government-issued ID and Social Security number
4Beneficiaries acquire the right to withdraw only if the account owner dies and the beneficiary is then living
5If two or more beneficiaries survive, they own the account in equal shares with right of survivorship
6For joint accounts with rights of survivorship: funds pass to the surviving owner
7For accounts without POD or joint ownership: provide Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from probate court
8For small estates: a South Dakota Small Estate Affidavit may be accepted (personal property under $50,000 per SDCL 29A-3-1201)
9For trust accounts: successor trustee provides trust document, death certificate, and trustee ID
10If no beneficiary survives the last owner, the estate of the last living owner is entitled to the funds
11Black Hills FCU reviews documentation and processes distribution
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID of claimant
- Claimant's Social Security number
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if no POD and probate required)
- Small Estate Affidavit (if estate qualifies under South Dakota law, SDCL 29A-3-1201)
- Trust documents and Certificate of Trust (if trust is beneficiary or account is in trust)
Per the membership agreement, if the account owner dies, the interest passes to the account owner's estate or POD beneficiary/trust beneficiary, subject to applicable law. The credit union is not obligated to notify any beneficiary of the existence of any account or the vesting of the beneficiary's interest. South Dakota has no state income tax and no state estate or inheritance tax.
Processing timelines at Black Hills FCU: POD accounts typically process within 5-10 business days after all documentation is received. Accounts requiring probate depend on court timelines.. Incomplete documentation is the most common cause of delays—submitting all required documents with the initial claim helps avoid additional processing time.
Black Hills FCU requires several documents to process a claim, including Certified death certificate, Government-issued photo ID of claimant, and Claimant's Social Security number, 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
Visit any Black Hills FCU branch location with your government-issued ID, or call (605) 718-1818 (Monday-Friday 7 AM-6 PM Mountain time). POD beneficiaries can be added to eligible deposit accounts including checking, savings, money market, and share certificates. Provide the beneficiary's full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, and relationship. If two or more beneficiaries are named, they will own the account in equal shares with right of survivorship. IRA and HSA accounts require separate beneficiary designations. Each POD beneficiary adds up to $250,000 in NCUA insurance coverage.
If the account has a Payable on Death (POD) beneficiary, beneficiaries acquire the right to withdraw only if the account owner dies and the beneficiary is then living. If two or more beneficiaries survive, they own the account in equal shares with right of survivorship. For joint accounts, funds pass to the surviving owner. For accounts without POD or joint ownership, the estate must provide Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from probate court, or a Small Estate Affidavit if the estate qualifies under South Dakota law (SDCL 29A-3-1201, personal property under $50,000). If no beneficiary survives the last owner, the estate of the last living owner is entitled to the funds.
Call Black Hills FCU at (605) 718-1818 or toll-free at (800) 482-2428, Monday-Friday 7 AM to 6 PM (Mountain time). You can also text (605) 718-1818 from 8 AM to 5 PM, or visit any branch location across South Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana. The mailing address is P.O. Box 1420, Rapid City, SD 57709. Black Hills FCU does not have a dedicated estate planning department; member services handles beneficiary designations, trust account retitling, and death claims.
Black Hills FCU's Member Services - Death Claims can be reached by phone at 1-800-482-2428 and fax at 1-605-646-4136 for questions throughout the claims process.
If the deceased held multiple Black Hills FCU accounts, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The Member Services - Death Claims can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.
Phone1-605-718-1818
Toll-Free1-800-482-2428
Fax1-605-646-4136
Mailing Address
Black Hills Federal Credit Union, P.O. Box 1420, Rapid City, SD 57709
WebsiteLearn more →
Phone1-605-718-1818
Toll-Free1-800-482-2428
Fax1-605-646-4136
Mailing Address
Black Hills Federal Credit Union, P.O. Box 1420, Rapid City, SD 57709
WebsiteLearn more →
Member Services - Death Claims
Phone1-605-718-1818
Toll-Free1-800-482-2428
Fax1-605-646-4136
Mailing Address
Black Hills Federal Credit Union, P.O. Box 1420, Rapid City, SD 57709
Verified Mar 2026
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