What to do when a Citibank account holder dies
Report the death to Citibank's Estate Servicing Unit at 1-833-956-0413
What happens to Citibank accounts after the account holder dies depends on how each account was titled. Beneficiary-designated and trust-owned accounts transfer directly. Accounts in the deceased's name alone go through the estate, and the executor or administrator works with Citibank's Estate Servicing Unit (1-833-956-0413) to claim the funds.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
The death claim process at Citibank works as follows:
Filing a claim
- Banking accounts and trust bank accounts: Citibank Service Center, PO Box 6051, Sioux Falls, SD 57117-6051, or fax 1-866-215-6523
- Bank IRA: Retirement Plan Services, 1000 Technology Drive, O'Fallon, MO 63368
- Cashback cards: Citi Card Customer Service Center, PO Box 6500, Sioux Falls, SD 57117 (fax 866-799-5591, email cards.required.docs@citi.com)
- ThankYou points: Thank You Service Center, PO Box 6278, Sioux Falls, SD 57117
- Costco: Customer Service Center, PO Box 790046, St. Louis, MO 63179 (fax 844-357-8363, email CostcoDocuments@citi.com)
- Banking accounts, trust bank accounts and credit cards: 1-833-956-0413 (Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-9 p.m. ET)
- Bank IRA, Citi Retirement Plan Services: 1-800-695-5911 (Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. ET, Saturday 9:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m. ET)
- Mortgage or home equity: 1-866-523-6781 (Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-8:00 p.m. ET, Saturday 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. ET)
- Personal loans and lines of credit: 1-800-685-0935 (Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. ET; TTY 1-800-945-0258)
- Investment accounts: 1-800-357-3399 (Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. ET, Saturday 9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. ET; TTY 711)
- Wealth Management: 1-800-846-5200 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week; TTY 1-800-788-6775)
Required Documents
- Death certificateCiti's FAQ says "In most cases we require an original death certificate or certified copy."
- Valid ID for claimant, for banking and trust bank accounts
- Letter of Testamentary or Administration, or a small estate affidavit, for banking accountsCiti's glossary describes the small estate affidavit as a notarized document that "In some states" can be used "to claim or disburse money from estates of limited size".
- Letter of Instruction, for In Trust For and beneficiary accountsCiti's glossary: "A notarized letter from the account beneficiary providing specific instructions on where to deliver the remaining money in any accounts."
- Certificate of Trust, for a trust bank account
- Pages from the trust agreement identifying the successor trustee, for a trust bank account
- Certified original death certificate, for a bank IRA
- A letter with instructions and beneficiary contact information, for a bank IRAIncluding each beneficiary's name, phone number and address.
- Death certificate, for a credit card, only if redeeming rewards
What happens to each kind of account7
- IRA
Citi says "When Citi is notified of the death of an account holder, we will research the beneficiaries on the account. Citi will mail the beneficiaries instructions to redeem their funds."1
- Safe deposit box
Citi says "Once the lessee is deceased, access cannot be granted until all required documentation has been received." Call the branch where the box is located.1
- Credit card
Citi says "The joint account holder or estate representative can work with the Citi Estate Servicing Center and our vendors to determine the next steps to resolve any outstanding balance."1
- Rewards
Citi says "ThankYou points must be redeemed by the estate representative within one year."1
- Joint account with survivorship
The agreement says "If one owner dies, ownership of the account will automatically pass to the surviving joint owner(s)."2
- Payable-on-death account
An In Trust For or payable-on-death account pays the beneficiaries "upon the death of the last surviving account owner". "If more than one beneficiary is named in our records, they will share equally in the account proceeds."2
- Certificate of deposit
The agreement says "There is no early withdrawal penalty if the account owner dies or is declared legally incompetent."2
State law on paying a balance without lettersFlorida, New York
- Florida
Fla. Stat. § 735.303
Florida law permits a bank to pay from a deceased depositor's balance on an affidavit made under oath, without letters testamentary or letters of administration.Fla. Stat. § 735.303Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
Paid to: family member (surviving spouse; else adult child; else adult descendant; else parent)
Limit: $2,000 held at the institution and $2,000 in total from every holder
When: not earlier than 6 months after the date of the decedent’s death
The section permits the payment. It does not require the bank to make it. The section sets further conditions.
- New York
N.Y. SCPA § 1310
New York law permits a bank to pay from a deceased depositor's balance on an affidavit made under oath, without letters testamentary or letters of administration.N.Y. SCPA § 1310Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
Paid to: surviving spouse
Limit: $30,000 in total from every holder
When: forthwith
Paid to: surviving spouse, children eighteen or older, either parent, brother or sister, niece or nephew, or at their request a creditor or the person who paid the funeral expense
Limit: $15,000 in total from every holder
When: not less than thirty days after the death
Paid to: a distributee, a creditor, or the person who paid the funeral expenses
Limit: $5,000 held at the institution and $5,000 in total from every holder
When: not less than 6 months after the death
The section permits the payment. It does not require the bank to make it. The section sets further conditions.
Accounts handled elsewhere5
- Citi Retirement Plan Services
Bank IRAs1
Phone: 1-800-695-5911
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-10:00 PM ET; Saturday 9:00 AM-5:30 PM ET
Mailing address: Retirement Plan Services, 1000 Technology Drive, O'Fallon, MO 63368
- Mortgage or Home Equity
Mortgages and home equity loans1
Phone: 1-866-523-6781
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-8:00 PM ET; Saturday 8:30 AM-5:00 PM ET
- Personal Loans/Lines of Credit
Personal loans and lines of credit1
Phone: 1-800-685-0935
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-5:00 PM ET
- Investment Accounts
Citi investment accounts1
Phone: 1-800-357-3399
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-10:00 PM ET; Saturday 9:00 AM-7:00 PM ET
- Wealth Management
Citi Wealth Management accounts1
Phone: 1-800-846-5200
Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
What Citibank's agreement and guidance say7
- Telling the institution
The agreement says "You agree to notify us immediately of the death or court-ordered legal determination of incompetence of any owner or authorized signer on your account."2
- What it does when notified
On notification of death Citi "will block individual accounts; joint accounts may remain unblocked for up to thirty (30) days after we have been notified of an account owner's death."2
Citi says "Citi will hold individual accounts once notified of a deceased customer."1
- Payments after the death
Citi honors checks and withdrawal instructions until it is notified of the death, and "may continue to honor checks for up to ten (10) days following the death" unless a validly appointed representative or another owner gives stop payment instructions.2
- Deposits after the death
Citi "may freeze, offset, refuse and/or reverse deposits and transactions (e.g., governmental or retirement benefits payments payable to the deceased) if an owner dies".2
- How proceeds are paid
The agreement says "Certain documents must be presented to us before funds in such an account can be paid out and the account closed."2
- Debts owed to the institution
Citi may set off against any of the accounts, except IRA, money purchase plan or profit sharing plan and certain trust accounts, "without notice, for any liability or debt of any owner or beneficial owner".2
- Which state governs the account
An account opened in a branch is governed by the law of the branch's state. One opened online or by phone takes the first owner's residential address state if it is CA, CT, FL, IL, MD, NV, NJ, NY, TX, VA or DC, and South Dakota otherwise. A later address change does not move it.2
Not in Citibank's published guidance2
- How long a claim takes
- An online way to report a death
Sources2
- 1.Citi® Estate Services
- 2.Consumer Deposit Account Agreement, Effective November 20, 2025
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.
- Statements from CitiMortgage: 1-800-283-7918
- Cenlar FSB: 1-855-839-6253
- Citi Private Bank customers (Cenlar FSB): 1-855-839-6250
Claims Contact
Phone: 1-866-523-6781
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-8:00 PM ET; Saturday 8:30 AM-5:00 PM ET
Federal law on calling a home loan after a death
These exemptions apply to a loan secured by residential real property containing less than five dwelling units.12 U.S.C. § 1701j-3(d); 12 CFR 191.5(b), 141.14Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
- A lender may not exercise a due-on-sale clause upon a transfer by devise, descent, or operation of law on the death of a joint tenant or tenant by the entirety.12 U.S.C. § 1701j-3(d)(3); 12 CFR 191.5(b)(1)(iii)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
- A lender may not exercise a due-on-sale clause upon a transfer to a relative resulting from the death of a borrower.12 U.S.C. § 1701j-3(d)(5)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
- A lender may not exercise a due-on-sale clause upon a transfer where the spouse or children of the borrower become an owner of the property.12 U.S.C. § 1701j-3(d)(6)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
A federal regulation sets further conditions on these transfers.12 CFR 191.5(b)(1)(v)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
Not in Citibank's published guidance2
- How long a claim takes
- A list of required documents
Claims Contact
Phone: 1-866-523-6781
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-8:00 PM ET; Saturday 8:30 AM-5:00 PM ET
Not in Citibank's published guidance2
- How long a claim takes
- A list of required documents
Claims Contact
Not in Citibank's published guidance2
- How long a claim takes
- A list of required documents
- Cashback cards: Citi Card Customer Service Center, PO Box 6500, Sioux Falls, SD 57117; fax 866-799-5591; email cards.required.docs@citi.com
- ThankYou points: Thank You Service Center, PO Box 6278, Sioux Falls, SD 57117
- Costco: Customer Service Center, PO Box 790046, St. Louis, MO 63179; fax 844-357-8363; email CostcoDocuments@citi.com
Required Documents
- Death certificate, only if redeeming rewards
Claims Contact
Phone: 1-833-956-0413
Email: cards.required.docs@citi.com
Fax: 1-866-799-5591
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-9:00 PM ET
Mailing address: Citi Card Customer Service Center, PO Box 6500, Sioux Falls, SD 57117 (cashback cards). ThankYou points: Thank You Service Center, PO Box 6278, Sioux Falls, SD 57117. Costco: Customer Service Center, PO Box 790046, St. Louis, MO 63179.
What happens to each kind of account2
- Credit card
Citi's article says "Credit card debt continues to exist after you die" and "An estate's executor — whether named in a will or appointed by a court — is responsible for using the estate's assets to pay off any outstanding debt."1
Citi says "The joint account holder or estate representative can work with the Citi Estate Servicing Center and our vendors to determine the next steps to resolve any outstanding balance."2
- Rewards
Citi says "ThankYou points must be redeemed by the estate representative within one year."2
Not in Citibank's published guidance1
- How long a claim takes
Sources2
- 1.What Happens to Credit Card Debt When You Die?, Oct 06, 2025
- 2.Citi® Estate Services
Citibank's Estate Servicing Unit can be reached by phone at 1-833-956-0413, email at cards.required.docs@citi.com, and fax at 1-866-215-6523 for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
Data sourced from Citibank primary sources (14 pages reviewed). How we research.
Citibank death claims support
Estate Servicing Unit (Citi® Estate Services)
Phone
Toll-free
Bank IRA (Retirement Plan Services)
Mortgage / Home Equity
Personal Loans / Lines of Credit
Investment Accounts
Wealth Management
Fax
Hours
Mailing address
Website
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