Estate planning and settlement at Cenlar
Fund a trust online and report a death at 1-800-223-6527
Cenlar is now part of PennyMacAcquired
On February 11, 2026, Pennymac Financial Services announced a definitive agreement to acquire Cenlar's subservicing business (up to $740 billion in unpaid principal balance across roughly 2 million loans). The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions including regulatory approvals; Cenlar surrenders its bank charter concurrently with closing, and the subserviced loans move onto Pennymac's servicing platform. Re-checked 2026-09-11: Pennymac's newsroom carries no closing announcement, so the deal remains pending and Cenlar is still the servicer. A servicing transfer does not change the terms of the mortgage, and the deceased-borrower and successor-in-interest rights described here are federal requirements that follow the loan to the new servicer.
When a borrower at Cenlar dies, the loan does not simply disappear. The executor contacts Cenlar to establish authority, learn the payoff amount, and choose how to handle the balance under the servicer's procedures and applicable law.
There are two sides to estate planning at Cenlar: setting things up while you're alive, and the process survivors follow after a death.
Beneficiaries and trust funding
How to fund a trust online, and review 2 account types at Cenlar.
Preparing your estate →Death claim process
Report the death to Cenlar Homeowner Support at 1-800-223-6527. The page lists the steps and the documents to send.
When someone dies →
Sources
Data sourced from Cenlar primary sources (13 pages reviewed). How we research.
Cenlar customer support
Cenlar Homeowner Support (loan servicing)
Phone
Payoff statements (published as 877-7-PAYOFF)
Mortgage assistance / hardship and loss mitigation
Insurance Processing Center
Disaster Recovery Team
Mailing address
Website
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your Cenlar accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
Forms for Planning Your Estate
Free forms for planning your estate: a will, living trust, pour-over will, both powers of attorney, living will, and TOD deed.
Last Will and Testament
Name your heirs, guardians, and final wishes. Free for every state.
Transfer on Death Deed
Transfer real property to a beneficiary upon your death without probate. Available in 34 states and the District of Columbia.
Vehicle Transfer on Death
Name a beneficiary to inherit your vehicle at death without probate. Available in 26 states and the District of Columbia.
Tools for Planning Your Estate
Free tools for planning your estate: what a will or trust costs, whether you need a trust or TOD deed, and how documents are signed.
How Do I Sign Estate Documents?
Find witness, notary, and remote signing requirements for all 50 states.
Will My Estate Documents Transfer?
Check if estate planning documents signed in one state are valid in another.
Trust or Will: Which Costs Less?
Compare the cost of probate vs a trust for your state and estate value.
How Much Does a Revocable Living Trust Cost?
Compare revocable living trust costs across providers including online services and attorneys.
How Much Does a Will Cost?
Compare will costs across providers plus probate costs your heirs will pay.
How Does SimplyTrust Compare to LegalZoom, Trust & Will, and Other Services?
Compare what it costs to make a trust official across SimplyTrust, LegalZoom, Trust & Will, Rocket Lawyer, and Quicken WillMaker.
