Estate planning at Charter Oak FCU
How to protect 23 Charter Oak FCU accounts — manage beneficiaries in-branch, fund a trust in-branch, and file death claims
Contact Center
Phone(860) 446-8085
Toll-Free(800) 962-3237
Mailing Address
Charter Oak Federal Credit Union, 1055 Hartford Turnpike, Waterford, CT 06385
WebsiteLearn more→
Contact Center
Phone(860) 446-8085
Toll-Free(800) 962-3237
Mailing Address
Charter Oak Federal Credit Union, 1055 Hartford Turnpike, Waterford, CT 06385
WebsiteLearn more→
Member Services - Death Claims
Phone(860) 446-8085
Toll-Free(800) 962-3237
Mailing Address
Charter Oak Federal Credit Union, 1055 Hartford Turnpike, Waterford, CT 06385
Verified May 2026
Charter Oak FCU is a credit union offering 23 accounts that interact with estate planning in different ways. As a membership-based credit union, Charter Oak FCU headquartered at 1055 Hartford Turnpike, Waterford, CT 06385. Operates 15 branch locations across eastern Connecticut serving New London and Windham counties, including Waterford (2), Groton, Norwich, Mystic, Niantic, Pawcatuck, Montville/Uncasville, Dayville (2), Putnam, Willimantic, and limited-access locations at Electric Boat (New London), Killingly High School, Fitch High School, and Mohegan Sun. Membership is open to anyone who lives, works, attends school, worships, volunteers, or donates in New London or Windham County. Members can access accounts through 5,600+ shared branches nationwide via the CO-OP Shared Branch network and 30,000+ surcharge-free ATMs. Understanding how each account transfers at death—and which ones a trust can hold—helps families avoid probate delays and unintended outcomes.
Beneficiary changes at Charter Oak FCU can be made in branch, by mail, and by phone. Accounts can also be retitled into a trust to keep them out of probate entirely.
There are two sides to estate planning at Charter Oak FCU: setting things up while you're alive, and the process survivors follow after a death.
Preparing your estate
Beneficiaries and trust funding
How to update beneficiaries in-branch, fund a trust in-branch, and review 23 account types at Charter Oak FCU.
View details →When someone dies
Death claim process
6-step process, 6 required documents, and contact information for survivors.
View details →Charter Oak FCU 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
Contact Charter Oak at (860) 446-8085 or (800) 962-3237, or visit a branch. Bring your complete trust document or a Certificate of Trust, government-issued photo ID for all trustees, and the trust EIN. Charter Oak will complete a trust account application and retitle your accounts to trust ownership. Eligible deposit accounts include checking, savings, money market, and share certificates. IRAs cannot be retitled to a trust but can name a trust as beneficiary. Alternatively, you can name your trust as POD beneficiary on personal accounts as a simpler approach.
Membership is open to anyone who lives, works, attends school, worships, volunteers, or donates in New London or Windham County in Connecticut. Once a member, you are a member for life and entitled to all services Charter Oak offers. When you open an account, Charter Oak deposits one penny into your savings account to establish membership.
GO Checking earns 3.00% APY on balances up to $10,000 and 0.25% APY on balances over $10,000. To earn the stated rate, members must maintain e-statements, online banking, 10 monthly debit card transactions (excluding ATM), and either $750 in direct deposits or 4 bill pays per month. The account includes ATM fee rebates up to $20/month, a free first check order, and no monthly fees. It is Charter Oak's most popular checking product.
Yes. IRAs at Charter Oak cannot be retitled to a trust, but you can name a trust as the beneficiary on any IRA account (Traditional, Roth, or SEP). The beneficiary designation is completed on a separate IRA beneficiary form at the time of account opening or by submitting an updated form at any time. Contact Charter Oak at (860) 446-8085 or (800) 962-3237 or visit a branch to update your IRA beneficiary designation.
All three are high-yield checking accounts limited to one per qualified member number. GO Checking is available to all members and earns 3.00% APY on balances up to $10,000 when requirements are met (e-statements, online banking, 10 debit transactions, and $750 direct deposit or 4 bill pays per month). EB Checking is exclusive to Electric Boat employees and requires $2,000+ monthly direct deposit. SUN Checking is a co-branded account available through the Mohegan Sun branch location. Each reverts to a default rate if monthly requirements are not met.
Sources
Data sourced from Charter Oak FCU primary sources (16 pages reviewed). How we research.
Contact Center
Phone(860) 446-8085
Toll-Free(800) 962-3237
Mailing Address
Charter Oak Federal Credit Union, 1055 Hartford Turnpike, Waterford, CT 06385
WebsiteLearn more→
Contact Center
Phone(860) 446-8085
Toll-Free(800) 962-3237
Mailing Address
Charter Oak Federal Credit Union, 1055 Hartford Turnpike, Waterford, CT 06385
WebsiteLearn more→
Member Services - Death Claims
Phone(860) 446-8085
Toll-Free(800) 962-3237
Mailing Address
Charter Oak Federal Credit Union, 1055 Hartford Turnpike, Waterford, CT 06385
Verified May 2026
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your Charter Oak FCU accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
