What to do when a Citizens Bank account holder dies
Contact Citizens Bank's Citizens Private Wealth / Estate Services — 6-step process, 5 required documents, and pod accounts typically processed within 1-2 weeks. estate accounts receive same-day or next-business-day callback after faxing documents.
Customer Service
Phone1-800-922-9999
Citizens Access Online Accounts
IRA Questions
Checking, Savings, Money Market, CD Questions
Online Banking Support
WebsiteLearn more→
Citizens Private Wealth / Estate Services
Phone1-800-922-9999
Mailing Address
Citizens Bank Estate Services, PO Box 42001, Providence, RI 02940-9418
WebsiteLearn more→
Estate Services / Decedent Processing
Phone1-800-922-9999
Toll-Free1-800-922-9999
Mailing Address
Citizens Access, 1 Citizens Drive, Decedent Processing ROP 112, Riverside, RI 02915
Citizens Access Death Claims
Mortgage Loan Servicing
Home Equity Loan Servicing
Home Equity Loan Servicing (alt)
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified May 2026
What happens to Citizens Bank 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 Citizens Bank's Citizens Private Wealth / Estate Services (1-800-922-9999) to claim the funds.
Death claims at Citizens Bank can be started through an online portal, which streamlines the initial notification and document upload. Phone and mail options are also available.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
To file a claim after an account holder's death, here is what Citizens Bank requires:
Filing a claim
1
Contact Citizens Bank customer service at 1-800-922-9999 or visit a local branch to notify of the death
2
Provide the deceased account holder name and account information
3
Citizens Bank will freeze individual accounts until documentation is received
4
Settlement path depends on account type:
- Joint accounts: the surviving account holder retains access and the deceased is removed
- POD accounts: beneficiary provides government-issued ID and certified death certificate to claim funds
- Non-POD accounts: executor or administrator downloads the Estate Account Request form (CB_Estate_Form.pdf) from citizensbank.com
5
For non-POD (estate) accounts, complete and submit documentation:
- Complete the Estate Account Request form with estate and executor details
- Submit form with Short Certificate (Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration) and executor ID
- Fax documents to the estate services department for processing
6
If faxed between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM ET, expect a callback the same day; after 3:00 PM, the next business day
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate
- Government-issued ID for beneficiary or executor
- Estate Account Request form (CB_Estate_Form.pdf, for non-POD accounts)
- Short Certificate / Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (for non-POD accounts)
- Trust documents (if trust is named as beneficiary)
Citizens Bank provides an Estate Account Request form (CB_Estate_Form.pdf) that can be downloaded from their forms and documents page. Documents can be faxed for faster processing. Emergency funds may be released to cover funeral costs before the estate is formally settled. For Citizens Access online accounts, call 1-888-201-6505. A Beneficiary Disbursement Request (BDR) form is available for POD account claims -- the completed and notarized BDR form, death certificate, and ID must be mailed to: Citizens Access, 1 Citizens Drive, Decedent Processing ROP 112, Riverside, RI 02915. One BDR form is required per beneficiary; funds are paid by official check mailed to the beneficiary address on the form.
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
Notify Citizens Bank of the borrower's death by calling Loan Servicing at 1-800-234-6002
2
Provide initial documentation:
- Deceased borrower's full legal name, Social Security number, and loan number
- Certified copy of the death certificate
3
Request the Successor in Interest package from the loan servicing department
4
Complete and return the Successor in Interest documentation with proof of ownership interest:
- Probated will or court order
- Recorded deed or trust document
5
Citizens Bank will review your documentation and confirm your status as a Successor in Interest
6
Once confirmed, discuss available options:
- Continue making payments on existing terms
- Apply for loss mitigation
- Assume the loan, refinance, or pay off the balance
7
Continue making monthly mortgage payments during the review process to avoid default
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for the heir or personal representative
- Completed Successor in Interest documentation (obtained from Loan Servicing)
- Documentation proving ownership interest in the property: probated will, court order, recorded deed, or trust document
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if going through probate)
- Marriage certificate (if surviving spouse)
Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act (12 U.S.C. 1701j-3), Citizens Bank cannot enforce a due-on-sale clause when the property transfers to a surviving spouse, child, relative upon death, or the borrower's revocable living trust. Confirmed Successors in Interest are treated as borrowers under CFPB mortgage servicing rules and are entitled to account information and loss mitigation options.
Expected timelines at Citizens Bank: POD accounts typically processed within 1-2 weeks. Estate accounts receive same-day or next-business-day callback after faxing documents. 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 Citizens Bank includes Certified death certificate, Government-issued ID for beneficiary or executor, and Estate Account Request form (CB_Estate_Form.pdf, for non-POD accounts), along with additional paperwork that varies by account type. All death certificates and court documents must be certified copies.
Frequently asked questions
For POD accounts, Citizens Bank uses a specific Beneficiary Disbursement Request (BDR) form -- the completed and notarized BDR, certified death certificate, and your ID are mailed to Citizens Access, 1 Citizens Drive, Decedent Processing ROP 112, Riverside, RI 02915. One BDR is required per beneficiary, and funds are paid by official check. For non-POD accounts, download the Estate Account Request form (CB_Estate_Form.pdf) from citizensbank.com/customer-service/forms-docs.aspx and fax it with Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration -- documents faxed between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM ET typically get a same-day callback. For Citizens Access online accounts, call 1-888-201-6505 instead of the main line.
Yes. Citizens Bank explicitly confirms in its Successor in Interest process that the federal Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act (12 U.S.C. 1701j-3) prevents enforcement of a due-on-sale clause when a property transfers to a surviving spouse, child, relative upon death, or the borrower's revocable living trust. Confirmed Successors in Interest are treated as borrowers under CFPB mortgage servicing rules and entitled to account information and loss mitigation options. Contact Mortgage Loan Servicing at 1-800-234-6002 (or HELOC servicing at 1-800-708-6680) to request the Successor in Interest package.
Citizens Bank's Estate Services / Decedent Processing can be reached by phone at 1-800-922-9999 for questions throughout the claims process.
When the deceased had multiple Citizens Bank accounts, some may need separate claims while others can be handled together. The Citizens Private Wealth / Estate Services can clarify what's needed for each account type.
Customer Service
Phone1-800-922-9999
Citizens Access Online Accounts
IRA Questions
Checking, Savings, Money Market, CD Questions
Online Banking Support
WebsiteLearn more→
Citizens Private Wealth / Estate Services
Phone1-800-922-9999
Mailing Address
Citizens Bank Estate Services, PO Box 42001, Providence, RI 02940-9418
WebsiteLearn more→
Estate Services / Decedent Processing
Phone1-800-922-9999
Toll-Free1-800-922-9999
Mailing Address
Citizens Access, 1 Citizens Drive, Decedent Processing ROP 112, Riverside, RI 02915
Citizens Access Death Claims
Mortgage Loan Servicing
Home Equity Loan Servicing
Home Equity Loan Servicing (alt)
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified May 2026
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your Citizens Bank accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
