What to do when a California CU account holder dies
Contact California CU — 5-step process, 7 required documents, and 10-15 business days after all documentation is received, though complex estates may take longer
California Credit Union, P.O. Box 29100, Glendale, CA 91209-9100
California Credit Union, P.O. Box 29100, Glendale, CA 91209-9100
Member Services
California Credit Union, P.O. Box 29100, Glendale, CA 91209-9100
The Member Services at California CU coordinates account transitions after a member's death. How each account is handled depends on its setup: POD and trust accounts transfer automatically, while solely-owned accounts typically require court authorization through Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
Death claims at California CU can be started through an online portal, which streamlines the initial notification and document upload. Phone and mail options are also available.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
Follow these steps to file a death claim with California CU:
Filing a claim
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Valid government-issued photo ID for the claimant
- For accounts with POD beneficiary: provide the death certificate and beneficiary ID to claim funds directly without probate
- For joint accounts with right of survivorship: provide the death certificate; surviving owner retains access to the account and the account title will be updated
- For accounts without beneficiary or survivorship: obtain Letters Testamentary, Letters of Administration, or a Small Estate Affidavit from the court and provide along with the executor or administrator's ID
- For individual accounts with no beneficiary: under Cal. Prob. Code 13100, a Small Estate Affidavit may be accepted 40 days after the date of death with a certified copy of the death certificate
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Valid government-issued photo ID for the claimant (beneficiary, executor, or administrator)
- Account information for the deceased (account numbers if available)
- For accounts without beneficiary: Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from the court
- For small estates: Small Estate Affidavit as permitted under California Probate Code 13100 (available 40 days after date of death)
- For trust accounts: trust documentation including successor trustee provisions and trustee ID
- For IRA accounts: IRA beneficiary claim forms and applicable distribution election forms
What to know at this institution
Visiting a local branch is the most direct way to initiate the estate settlement process. All joint accounts at California Credit Union are established with right of survivorship, meaning the surviving owner becomes the sole owner upon the other owner's death. For individual accounts without beneficiaries, California Probate Code 13100 allows a Small Estate Affidavit to be used 40 days after the date of death for qualifying estates. The estate is responsible for paying off any remaining loan balances.
Mortgage and home lending
Mortgages and home equity loans are liabilities, not assets. They do not have beneficiaries and cannot be retitled to a trust. When a borrower dies, the loan obligation transfers with the property to whoever inherits it. Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Act, the lender cannot accelerate the loan or call it due when the property transfers to a surviving spouse, child, or the borrower’s revocable trust.
- Deceased borrower's full legal name, Social Security number, and loan number
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Continue making payments on the existing loan
- Apply for loss mitigation
- Assume the loan
- Refinance in your own name
- Pay off the remaining balance
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for the heir or personal representative
- Completed Successor in Interest form (obtained from mortgage servicing department)
- Documentation proving ownership interest in the property: probated will, court order, recorded deed, or trust document showing you as successor trustee or beneficiary
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if going through probate)
- Marriage certificate (if surviving spouse)
What to know at this institution
Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act (12 U.S.C. § 1701j-3), California Credit Union cannot enforce a due-on-sale clause when the property transfers to a surviving spouse, child, relative upon death, or the borrower's revocable living trust. Confirmed Successors in Interest are treated as borrowers under CFPB mortgage servicing rules. Real Estate Loan Center: (877) 228-4873.
Prepare your letter of instruction to California CU
California CU accepts a claimant-drafted letter of instruction. We draft it for you — addressed to California CU's verified claims department, with the documents it requires enclosed.
Build your letter of instructionProcessing timelines at California CU: 10-15 business days after all documentation is received, though complex estates may take longer. 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 California CU includes Certified copy of the death certificate, Valid government-issued photo ID for the claimant (beneficiary, executor, or administrator), and Account information for the deceased (account numbers if available), along with additional paperwork that varies by account type. All death certificates and court documents must be certified copies.
Frequently asked questions
All joint accounts at California Credit Union are established with right of survivorship. When one owner passes away, the surviving owner becomes the sole owner of the account. The account title will be updated after the credit union receives a certified copy of the death certificate, an updated signature card, and any state-specific documents required.
When a member with a POD (Payable on Death) designation dies, the named beneficiary can claim the account funds by visiting a California Credit Union branch with a certified copy of the death certificate and a valid government-issued photo ID. POD accounts bypass the probate process and pass directly to the named beneficiary.
Yes. Under California Probate Code 13100, a Small Estate Affidavit may be used to claim funds from individual accounts without a beneficiary, provided the estate qualifies and at least 40 days have passed since the date of death. Bring the affidavit, a certified copy of the death certificate, and your government-issued photo ID to any California Credit Union branch.
Contact the Real Estate Loan Center at (877) 228-4873 or visit a branch to report the death. Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Act, the credit union cannot accelerate the loan when the property transfers to a surviving spouse, child, relative upon death, or the borrower revocable living trust. After submitting documentation, confirmed Successors in Interest can continue making payments, apply for loss mitigation, assume the loan, refinance, or pay off the balance.
California CU's Member Services can be reached by phone at 1-800-334-8788 and fax at 1-858-769-7956 for questions throughout the claims process.
Multiple California CU accounts may mean multiple claims. Some account types can be processed together, but others require their own documentation. Check with the Member Services to confirm what applies.
Sources
Data sourced from California CU primary sources (25 pages reviewed). How we research.
California Credit Union, P.O. Box 29100, Glendale, CA 91209-9100
California Credit Union, P.O. Box 29100, Glendale, CA 91209-9100
Member Services
California Credit Union, P.O. Box 29100, Glendale, CA 91209-9100
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