Estate planning at Carter Bank & Trust
How to protect 11 Carter Bank & Trust accounts — manage beneficiaries in-branch, fund a trust in-branch, and file death claims
Customer Service
Phone833-275-2228
Email[email protected]
Mailing Address
Carter Bank & Trust, P.O. Box 1776, Martinsville, VA 24115
WebsiteLearn more→
Customer Service
Phone833-275-2228
Email[email protected]
Mailing Address
Carter Bank & Trust, P.O. Box 1776, Martinsville, VA 24115
WebsiteLearn more→
Estate Settlement
Phone833-275-2228
Email[email protected]
Mailing Address
Carter Bank & Trust, P.O. Box 1776, Martinsville, VA 24115
Verified Apr 2026
Carter Bank & Trust has 11 accounts, each with different rules for what happens when the account holder dies. Of those, 9 can name a trust as beneficiary or be retitled into a trust. The right combination of beneficiary designations and trust ownership can keep the entire portfolio out of probate.
Carter Bank & Trust handles beneficiary designations in branch, by mail, and by phone. Accounts can also be retitled into a trust to keep them out of probate entirely.
Carter Bank & Trust provides specific procedures for both proactive estate planning and filing claims after a death.
Preparing your estate
Beneficiaries and trust funding
How to update beneficiaries in-branch, fund a trust in-branch, and review 11 account types at Carter Bank & Trust.
View details →When someone dies
Death claim process
5-step process, 8 required documents, and contact information for survivors.
View details →Carter Bank & Trust operates in select states, so estate planning procedures may vary by location. Confirm availability in your state before initiating trust funding or account changes.
Frequently asked questions
Carter Bank & Trust operates 63 branches across Virginia and North Carolina. Locations are concentrated in the Shenandoah Valley, Blue Ridge, Piedmont, and southwestern Virginia regions, with additional branches in the Triad (Greensboro, Winston-Salem) and Charlotte areas of North Carolina. Visit carterbank.com/locations for a full branch and ATM locator.
Yes. Checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, and certificates of deposit at Carter Bank & Trust can be retitled to a revocable living trust. Visit any branch with your trust documentation (Certification of Trust or full trust agreement), government-issued ID for all trustees, and the trust Tax Identification Number (EIN) or grantor SSN. Existing accounts can typically be retitled without closing and reopening.
The Lifetime Plus Checking account earns 5.00% APY on the first $15,000 of your balance and 0.50% APY on the remainder when qualification requirements are met each statement cycle. Requirements include 15 point-of-sale debit card transactions (ATM transactions do not count), eStatement enrollment, and at least one direct deposit or ACH credit per cycle. The account has no monthly fees, no minimum balance, and includes ATM fee refunds up to $15 per statement cycle.
Yes. A trust can be named as beneficiary of a Traditional IRA or Roth IRA at Carter Bank & Trust using the IRA Beneficiary Designation form. IRAs cannot be retitled to a trust under IRS rules. Visit any branch or call 833-275-2228 to request the IRA beneficiary form. Married account holders may need spousal consent to name a non-spouse beneficiary.
Yes. Carter Bank & Trust accepts a Certification of Trust (also called a Trust Abstract or Affidavit of Trust) as an alternative to providing the full trust agreement. A Certification of Trust typically includes the trust name, date of establishment, trustee names, and relevant powers without disclosing the full terms and beneficiaries of the trust.
Carter Bank & Trust operates in Virginia and North Carolina, each with different small estate thresholds. In Virginia, a Small Estate Affidavit may be used under Va. Code 64.2-601 for personal property estates valued at $50,000 or less. In North Carolina, a Small Estate Affidavit may be used under N.C. Gen. Stat. 28A-25-1 for personal property valued at $20,000 or less, or $30,000 if the surviving spouse is the sole heir.
Sources
Data sourced from Carter Bank & Trust primary sources (16 pages reviewed). How we research.
Customer Service
Phone833-275-2228
Email[email protected]
Mailing Address
Carter Bank & Trust, P.O. Box 1776, Martinsville, VA 24115
WebsiteLearn more→
Customer Service
Phone833-275-2228
Email[email protected]
Mailing Address
Carter Bank & Trust, P.O. Box 1776, Martinsville, VA 24115
WebsiteLearn more→
Estate Settlement
Phone833-275-2228
Email[email protected]
Mailing Address
Carter Bank & Trust, P.O. Box 1776, Martinsville, VA 24115
Verified Apr 2026
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your Carter Bank & Trust accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
