What to do when a Canvas CU account holder dies
Contact Canvas CU's Member Services - Trust and Estate Accounts — 5-step process, 7 required documents, and joint accounts transfer immediately. pod accounts are typically processed within 5-10 business days after receipt of required documents. trust accounts transfer upon successor trustee verification. estate accounts requiring probate documentation may take 30-90 days. canvas does not publish a guaranteed timeline and states that each situation is unique.
Phone303-691-2345
Toll-Free1-800-437-7328
Fax303-639-2910
Mailing Address
Canvas Credit Union, PO Box 5238, Englewood, CO 80155
Northern Colorado/Western Slope
Colorado Springs/Southern Colorado
Lost/Stolen Debit/Credit Cards (US)
Lost/Stolen Cards (International/Collect)
WebsiteLearn more→
Member Services - Trust and Estate Accounts
Phone303-691-2345
Toll-Free1-800-437-7328
Fax303-639-2910
WebsiteLearn more→
Operations Support - Deceased Member Accounts
Phone303-691-2345
Toll-Free1-800-437-7328
Fax303-639-2910
Mailing Address
Canvas Credit Union, attn: Operations Support, PO Box 5238, Englewood, CO 80155
TruStage Loan Protection Insurance Claims
Verified Jul 2026
The Member Services - Trust and Estate Accounts at Canvas 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.
Gather the account holder's full name, date of birth, and any known account or policy numbers before contacting Canvas CU. A certified death certificate is the primary document required to start any claim.
Death claim process
Follow these steps to file a death claim with Canvas CU:
Filing a claim
1
Contact Canvas at (800) 437-7328, email membercarecenter@canvas.org, or visit a local branch as soon as possible after the death to notify the credit union
2
Provide a copy of the death certificate (a clear, legible photocopy is accepted; Canvas may require a certified copy in some circumstances)
3
Canvas reviews account type and ownership structure to determine distribution path:
- Joint accounts with right of survivorship: the surviving joint owner continues to use the account normally
- Single owner with POD: Canvas closes the account and distributes funds to the designated beneficiaries upon verification
- Trust accounts: successor trustee provides trust documents, death certificate, and trustee identification to assume control
- Single owner without POD or trust: funds are distributed to the estate; executor or personal representative provides Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from probate court
4
Beneficiaries and claimants provide identification and documentation:
- Government-issued photo ID to claim funds
- IRA accounts: designated beneficiary completes distribution election forms
- For investment accounts: contact Canvas Advisors / LPL Financial directly for a separate process
5
Canvas processes the claim; processing may take up to 90 days depending on complexity
Required Documents
- Copy of the death certificate (clear, legible photocopy accepted; certified copy may be required in some circumstances)
- Government-issued photo ID for each beneficiary or claimant
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (when account has no POD designation and is not in trust)
- Complete trust document or Certificate of Trust (when trust is named beneficiary or account is trust-titled)
- Colorado Small Estate Affidavit / Collection of Personal Property by Affidavit (Form JDF 999) when the estate value is at or under the Colorado small estate threshold ($88,000 for deaths in 2026; $86,000 for deaths in 2025 per Form JDF 999)
- Estate EIN or Proof of Name Change (in less common instances, per the Canvas Deceased Member Account Guide)
- IRA beneficiary distribution election forms (for retirement accounts)
Claims Contact
What to know at this institution
Contact Canvas as soon as possible after a death to prevent unauthorized transactions. Mail deceased-member documents to Canvas Credit Union, attn: Operations Support, PO Box 5238, Englewood, CO 80155. Canvas freezes the deceased member's accounts and deactivates the deceased's debit cards upon notification. Canvas may apply funds in the deceased member's deposit accounts toward that member's outstanding Canvas loan balances, as permitted by Colorado law and the account and loan agreements. Power of Attorney becomes void at death and cannot be used to settle accounts. Canvas will close HSA and IRA accounts without any Canvas-imposed penalties upon death, even if the deceased was under 59-1/2 or the IRA certificate maturity date has not been reached. If the deceased had loan protection insurance (administered by TruStage), contact TruStage Support at 844-337-5830 to file a claim; proceeds are applied toward the loan balance. Direct deposits received from federal paying agencies (Social Security, VA, DFAS Kansas City) on or after the date of death must be returned; deposits received on or before the date of death are kept. Outstanding loan balances are liabilities of the co-signer or estate. Credit card authorized users and joint debit cardholders should not use the deceased's cards after death. Canvas can refer survivors to a probate attorney on request but cannot give legal advice.
Prepare your letter of instruction to Canvas CU
Canvas CU accepts a claimant-drafted letter of instruction. We draft it for you — addressed to Canvas CU's verified claims department, with the documents it requires enclosed.
Build your letter of instructionProcessing timelines at Canvas CU: Joint accounts transfer immediately. POD accounts are typically processed within 5-10 business days after receipt of required documents. Trust accounts transfer upon successor trustee verification. Estate accounts requiring probate documentation may take 30-90 days. Canvas does not publish a guaranteed timeline and states that each situation is unique. 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 Canvas CU includes Copy of the death certificate (clear, legible photocopy accepted; certified copy may be required in some circumstances), Government-issued photo ID for each beneficiary or claimant, and Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (when account has no POD designation and is not in trust), along with additional paperwork that varies by account type. All death certificates and court documents must be certified copies.
Frequently asked questions
Visit any Canvas branch or call (800) 437-7328 to request a POD (Payable on Death) beneficiary designation form. Complete the form with your primary and contingent beneficiary information, have all account owners sign it, and return it to Canvas. You may update your beneficiaries at any time by submitting a new signed form. Each account must be updated individually; POD designations do not automatically carry across accounts. POD designations cannot be completed online.
Yes. Canvas offers investment advisory services through Canvas Advisors in partnership with LPL Financial, a registered investment advisor and broker-dealer (member FINRA/SIPC). Services include financial planning, retirement planning, college planning, and trust and estate conservation. Investment products are not NCUA insured, not credit union guaranteed, and involve investment risk including possible loss of principal. Brokerage accounts can have TOD (Transfer on Death) designations or be retitled to a trust. Complimentary initial consultations are available.
Canvas's HSA is a tax-advantaged account for members enrolled in a High-Deductible Health Plan (HDHP). Contributions are pre-tax and withdrawals for qualified medical expenses are tax-free. Canvas also offers HSA CDs with terms from 6 months to 60 months. If a spouse is named as the beneficiary, the HSA transfers to the surviving spouse and remains an HSA. If a non-spouse beneficiary is named, the account ceases to be an HSA as of the date of death and the fair market value becomes taxable income to the beneficiary. Canvas will close an HSA without any Canvas-imposed penalties upon the account holder's death.
Contact Canvas at (800) 437-7328 or visit a branch as soon as possible to notify the credit union. Joint accounts with right of survivorship pass to the surviving owner. Single-owner accounts with a POD designation are distributed to the named beneficiaries after Canvas receives a certified death certificate and verifies beneficiary identification. Trust-titled accounts transfer to the successor trustee upon presentation of trust documents, death certificate, and trustee ID. Accounts without a POD designation or trust require probate; the executor or personal representative provides Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration. Canvas freezes the deceased member's accounts upon notification to prevent unauthorized transactions. Power of Attorney becomes void at death.
No. Canvas will close IRA certificates without any Canvas-imposed early withdrawal penalty upon the account holder's death, even if the deceased was under age 59-1/2 or the certificate maturity date has not been reached. Similarly, Canvas will close an HSA without any Canvas-imposed penalties upon the account holder's death. Beneficiaries should contact Canvas at (800) 437-7328 to begin the distribution process.
Yes. The Canvas Deceased Member Account Guide identifies the Colorado Small Estate Affidavit (Collection of Personal Property by Affidavit, Form JDF 999) as an accepted document for settling a deceased member's accounts when there is no POD beneficiary, joint owner, or trust. Colorado law permits this affidavit only when the total fair market value of the estate's personal property is at or under the annual threshold, which is adjusted each year for inflation: $88,000 for deaths occurring in 2026 and $86,000 for deaths in 2025 (the Canvas guide cites $82,000, which was the 2024 figure; the current Form JDF 999 lists $86,000 for 2025). The affidavit may be presented at least 10 days after death, can transfer bank accounts and other personal property, and does not authorize the transfer of real estate. If the account value plus the rest of the estate exceeds the threshold, Canvas requires Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from a Colorado probate court instead.
For a Canvas mortgage or Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) on which the deceased was the sole borrower, the Canvas Deceased Member Account Guide directs the personal representative to contact Canvas to discuss available options. If there is a co-borrower, that co-borrower becomes the primary borrower and Canvas updates its records. For a HELOC with no surviving borrower, the line is closed and no further advances are allowed. Canvas may also apply funds from the deceased member's deposit accounts toward outstanding loan balances, including a mortgage payment that comes due, as permitted by Colorado law and the account and loan agreements. The Garn-St. Germain Act generally prevents a lender from enforcing a due-on-sale clause when a residence is transferred to a revocable living trust in which the borrower is a beneficiary.
Canvas CU's Operations Support - Deceased Member Accounts can be reached by phone at 1-800-437-7328, email at membercarecenter@canvas.org, and fax at 303-639-2910 for questions throughout the claims process.
Multiple Canvas CU accounts may mean multiple claims. Some account types can be processed together, but others require their own documentation. Check with the Member Services - Trust and Estate Accounts to confirm what applies.
Sources
Data sourced from Canvas CU primary sources (26 pages reviewed). How we research.
Phone303-691-2345
Toll-Free1-800-437-7328
Fax303-639-2910
Mailing Address
Canvas Credit Union, PO Box 5238, Englewood, CO 80155
Northern Colorado/Western Slope
Colorado Springs/Southern Colorado
Lost/Stolen Debit/Credit Cards (US)
Lost/Stolen Cards (International/Collect)
WebsiteLearn more→
Member Services - Trust and Estate Accounts
Phone303-691-2345
Toll-Free1-800-437-7328
Fax303-639-2910
WebsiteLearn more→
Operations Support - Deceased Member Accounts
Phone303-691-2345
Toll-Free1-800-437-7328
Fax303-639-2910
Mailing Address
Canvas Credit Union, attn: Operations Support, PO Box 5238, Englewood, CO 80155
TruStage Loan Protection Insurance Claims
Verified Jul 2026
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