What to do when a Black Hills FCU account holder dies
Contact Black Hills FCU — 7-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.
Member Services
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
Sioux Falls Area
Credit Card Fraud
WebsiteLearn more→
Member Services
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
Sioux Falls Area
Credit Card Fraud
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 May 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
Follow these steps to file a death claim with Black Hills FCU:
Filing a claim
1
Contact Black Hills FCU at (605) 718-1818 or visit any branch to notify of a member's death
2
Submit a certified copy of the death certificate
3
Choose the appropriate settlement path:
- POD accounts: surviving beneficiary provides government-issued ID and Social Security number
- Joint accounts with rights of survivorship: funds pass to the surviving owner
- Accounts without POD or joint ownership: provide Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from probate court
- Small estates: a South Dakota Small Estate Affidavit may be accepted (entire estate, less liens and encumbrances, not exceeding $100,000 per SDCL 29A-3-1201)
- Trust accounts: successor trustee provides trust document, death certificate, and trustee ID
4
Beneficiaries acquire the right to withdraw only if the account owner dies and the beneficiary is then living
5
If two or more beneficiaries survive, they own the account in equal shares with right of survivorship
6
If no beneficiary survives the last owner, the estate of the last living owner is entitled to the funds
7
Black 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 entire estate, less liens and encumbrances, does not exceed $100,000 under 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.
Documentation required by Black Hills FCU includes Certified death certificate, Government-issued photo ID of claimant, and Claimant's Social Security number, along with additional paperwork that varies by account type. All death certificates and court documents must be certified copies.
Frequently asked questions
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.
POD beneficiary designations are available on deposit accounts including checking, savings, money market, and share certificates. You can add or update POD beneficiaries by visiting any branch or calling (605) 718-1818. You will need to provide each beneficiary's full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, and relationship to the account owner. Youth accounts are not eligible for POD designations. IRA and HSA accounts require separate beneficiary designation forms.
Contact Black Hills FCU at (605) 718-1818 or visit any branch. For POD accounts, the surviving beneficiary provides government-issued ID and Social Security number to claim the funds. For joint accounts with right of survivorship, funds pass to the surviving owner. Accounts without POD or joint ownership require Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from probate court. South Dakota estates with total value (less liens and encumbrances) not exceeding $100,000 may qualify for a Small Estate Affidavit under SDCL 29A-3-1201. Trust accounts require the successor trustee to present the trust document, death certificate, and trustee ID.
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.
Member Services
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
Sioux Falls Area
Credit Card Fraud
WebsiteLearn more→
Member Services
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
Sioux Falls Area
Credit Card Fraud
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 May 2026
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your Black Hills FCU accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
