What to do when a Chase account holder dies
Contact Chase's Estate Services — 8-step process, 6 required documents, and most transfers complete within several weeks, depending on account type and documentation. probated estates depend on court timelines. for transfer-on-death (tod) investment accounts, beneficiaries must make a claim within 6 months of the account holder's death.
Customer Service
Phone1-800-935-9935
Fax(614) 422-7575
J.P. Morgan Investment Accounts
Inheritance/Advisor Assistance
Auto Accounts
Home Lending
WebsiteLearn more→
Estate Services
Phone1-866-926-6909
Toll-Free1-866-926-6909
Fax(614) 422-7575
Mailing Address
Chase, Mail Code LA4-6555, 700 Kansas Lane, Monroe, LA 71203
J.P. Morgan Investment Accounts
Inheritance/Advisor Assistance
WebsiteLearn more→
Estate Services - Retail & Card
Phone1-866-926-6909
Toll-Free1-866-926-6909
Fax(614) 422-7575
Mailing Address
Chase, Mail Code LA4-6555, 700 Kansas Lane, Monroe, LA 71203
Auto Accounts
Home Lending
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified May 2026
When a Chase account holder passes away, the next step depends on how the accounts were set up. Accounts with beneficiary designations or trust ownership transfer outside of probate. Accounts titled solely in the deceased's name require the estate's legal representative to work with Chase's Estate Services (1-866-926-6909) to access and distribute the funds.
Chase offers an online claims portal that makes the initial filing process more straightforward. Survivors can also initiate claims by phone or by mailing documentation directly.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
Follow these steps to file a death claim with Chase:
Filing a claim
1
Notify Chase of the death online at chase.com/personal/estate-services, by phone, or in person at a branch
2
Anyone can notify Chase of a death regardless of relationship to the deceased
3
Provide initial information:
- Death certificate
- Proof of ID
- Relationship to deceased
- Deceased's SSN or account number
4
Chase will verify your authority to receive account information
5
Submit required legal documents based on settlement path:
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if probate required)
- Small Estate Affidavit (if estate qualifies under state law)
- Beneficiary claim documentation (if named beneficiary)
6
Provide beneficiary/fiduciary details including name, SSN, email, address, and relationship
7
Complete and return required distribution forms with supporting documents
8
Funds are distributed per instructions after document approval
Required Documents
- Death certificate (legible photocopy accepted; certified copy with visible seal may be required for investment accounts)
- Government-issued photo ID (passport, driver's license, or state-issued ID)
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if probate required; must be dated within 12 months for investment accounts)
- Small Estate Affidavit (if estate qualifies under state law)
- Proof of relationship to deceased
- Payment distribution forms (provided by Chase after initial notification)
Department-specific estate contacts: Retail/Card accounts: 1-866-926-6909 (Mon-Fri 8 AM-7 PM ET). Auto accounts: 1-877-828-4771 (Mon-Fri 9 AM-5:30 PM ET). Home Lending: 1-866-299-6752 (Mon-Fri 8 AM-8 PM ET). J.P. Morgan Investment accounts: 1-800-648-4782 (Mon-Fri 8 AM-8 PM ET, Sat 8 AM-6 PM ET). Inheritance/Advisor Assistance: 1-855-256-2178 (Mon-Fri 8 AM-9 PM ET). Mailing address for estate documents: Chase, Mail Code LA4-6555, 700 Kansas Lane, Monroe, LA 71203. Fax: (614) 422-7575 (free from any Chase branch).
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.
1
Gather pre-existing documents related to the property:
- Trust agreement (if applicable)
- Appointment of executor or Letters Testamentary
- Will or other testamentary document
- Deed to the property
2
Contact Chase Home Lending Estate Services at 1-866-299-6752 (Monday-Friday 8 AM-8 PM ET) to report the death and request an estate services kit
3
Determine your role:
- Surviving co-borrower
- Successor in interest (heir)
- Fiduciary (executor/administrator)
- Successor trustee
4
Complete the appropriate process based on your role:
- Co-borrower: request removal of the deceased borrower's name from loan correspondence
- Successor in interest: complete the Successor in Interest application kit provided by Chase
- Court-appointed fiduciary: submit Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration to be added to the account
- Successor trustee: submit trust documents to gain account access
5
Submit completed forms and supporting documents by mail or fax
6
Once approved, you will have access to loan information, statements, and correspondence
7
Discuss options with Chase:
- Continue making payments
- Apply for loan assumption
- Refinance in your own name
- Pay off the loan
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for the claimant
- Deed to the property or other proof of ownership interest
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if court-appointed fiduciary)
- Trust agreement (if property held in trust)
- Will or other testamentary document (if applicable)
- Small Estate Affidavit or declaration effectuating transfer without probate (if applicable under state law)
- Completed estate services kit forms (provided by Chase after initial notification)
Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act of 1982 (12 U.S.C. 1701j-3), Chase cannot enforce a due-on-sale clause when the property transfers to a surviving spouse, child, or relative of the deceased borrower, or to the borrower's revocable living trust. Heirs who inherit the property are not required to assume the loan or qualify for credit to continue making payments. Chase provides downloadable estate services kits for four scenarios: removing a deceased borrower's name, adding a successor in interest, adding a fiduciary, and adding a successor trustee. Photocopies of supporting documents are accepted. Faxing is available at no cost from any Chase branch. If no action is taken, the account remains in the deceased borrower's name.
Expected timelines at Chase: Most transfers complete within several weeks, depending on account type and documentation. Probated estates depend on court timelines. For transfer-on-death (TOD) investment accounts, beneficiaries must make a claim within 6 months of the account holder's death. Delays are almost always caused by incomplete paperwork—gathering all required documents before filing the initial claim helps avoid back-and-forth.
Documentation required by Chase includes Death certificate (legible photocopy accepted; certified copy with visible seal may be required for investment accounts), Government-issued photo ID (passport, driver's license, or state-issued ID), and Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if probate required; must be dated within 12 months for investment accounts), along with additional paperwork that varies by account type. All death certificates and court documents must be certified copies.
Frequently asked questions
You can notify Chase online via their secure portal, by calling 1-866-926-6909 (Monday-Friday 8 AM to 7 PM ET), or by visiting a branch. Anyone can notify Chase regardless of relationship. You'll need the death certificate, your ID, your relationship to the deceased, and the deceased's SSN or account number.
No. For deposit accounts (checking, savings, CDs), you must visit a Chase branch in person to add a Payable on Death (POD) beneficiary. Bring government-issued photo ID and the beneficiary's full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number. For investment and retirement accounts, beneficiaries can be added or updated online via chase.com or the Chase Mobile app through the Beneficiary center under Profile & Settings.
Chase credit card balances are a liability of the deceased's estate, not individual beneficiaries or family members. The estate pays off debts before distributing assets to beneficiaries. If the estate does not have sufficient assets, beneficiaries are generally not responsible for the remaining credit card debt. Authorized users are not responsible for the deceased primary cardholder's balance. Notify Chase at 1-866-926-6909 as soon as possible to stop interest from accruing and prevent additional fees.
If there is a surviving co-borrower, they remain on the account and continue making payments. If there is no living customer on the account, the estate representative should call Chase Auto at 1-877-828-4771 (Mon-Fri 9 AM-5:30 PM ET) to discuss options. Documentation identifying the estate representative can be emailed to caf.probate@chase.com. When the loan is paid off, the title and/or lien release is sent to the address on file, and the family works with the state Bureau of Motor Vehicles to transfer ownership.
For J.P. Morgan investment accounts (brokerage and IRA), Chase requires a certified copy of the death certificate with a visible seal, government-issued photo ID, and Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration dated within 12 months (if probate is required). Beneficiaries on transfer-on-death (TOD) or IRA accounts must make a claim within 6 months of the account holder's death. Contact J.P. Morgan Estate Services at 1-800-648-4782 (Mon-Fri 8 AM-8 PM ET, Sat 8 AM-6 PM ET).
Yes. When retitling a Chase deposit account (checking, savings, CD) to a revocable living trust, any existing POD (Payable on Death) designations must be revoked first. Trust accounts cannot have POD beneficiaries -- the trust agreement governs distribution. Visit a Chase branch with your trust document and government ID to complete the retitling process.
Chase's Estate Services - Retail & Card can be reached by phone at 1-866-926-6909, email at caf.probate@chase.com, and fax at (614) 422-7575 for questions throughout the claims process.
If the deceased held multiple Chase accounts, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The Estate Services can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.
Customer Service
Phone1-800-935-9935
Fax(614) 422-7575
J.P. Morgan Investment Accounts
Inheritance/Advisor Assistance
Auto Accounts
Home Lending
WebsiteLearn more→
Estate Services
Phone1-866-926-6909
Toll-Free1-866-926-6909
Fax(614) 422-7575
Mailing Address
Chase, Mail Code LA4-6555, 700 Kansas Lane, Monroe, LA 71203
J.P. Morgan Investment Accounts
Inheritance/Advisor Assistance
WebsiteLearn more→
Estate Services - Retail & Card
Phone1-866-926-6909
Toll-Free1-866-926-6909
Fax(614) 422-7575
Mailing Address
Chase, Mail Code LA4-6555, 700 Kansas Lane, Monroe, LA 71203
Auto Accounts
Home Lending
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified May 2026
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