What to do when a Citizens Business Bank account holder dies
Contact Citizens Business Bank's CitizensTrust Wealth Management — 6-step process, 6 required documents, and varies based on account type, documentation completeness, and whether probate is required. accounts with pod beneficiaries or trust titling are generally processed faster than accounts requiring probate.
CitizensTrust Wealth Management
701 N Haven Avenue, Ontario, CA 91764
Client Services
701 N Haven Avenue, Ontario, CA 91764
After an account holder at Citizens Business Bank dies, accounts with beneficiary designations or trust ownership transfer to the designated recipients without probate. Solely-owned accounts require the estate's representative to contact Citizens Business Bank's Client Services at 1-888-228-2265 with the proper legal authority documents.
The first step is contacting Citizens Business Bank at 1-888-228-2265 with the account holder's full name, account numbers, and a certified death certificate in hand.
Death claim process
Follow these steps to file a death claim with Citizens Business Bank:
Filing a claim
- POD beneficiary accounts: beneficiary presents death certificate and personal identification to claim funds
- Trust-titled accounts: successor trustee presents trust agreement, death certificate, and personal identification
- Non-POD, non-trust accounts: estate representative provides Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from the probate court
- Small estates: a Small Estate Affidavit may be accepted under California Probate Code Section 13100 (for deaths on or after April 1, 2025, the threshold is $208,850; the figure adjusts every three years for inflation, with the next scheduled adjustment on April 1, 2028). At least 40 days must have passed since the date of death.
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for the claimant
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if probate is required)
- Trust agreement (if account is held in a trust)
- Small Estate Affidavit (if estate qualifies under California Probate Code Section 13100)
- Proof of relationship to the deceased
What to know at this institution
Citizens Business Bank operates only in California. For CitizensTrust wealth management accounts, the estate settlement process is handled by the CitizensTrust trust administration team, which provides comprehensive estate settlement services including asset collection, tax filing, and beneficiary distributions.
Prepare your letter of instruction to Citizens Business Bank
Citizens Business Bank accepts a claimant-drafted letter of instruction. We draft it for you — addressed to Citizens Business Bank's verified claims department, with the documents it requires enclosed.
Build your letter of instructionOpening an account for the estate itself
Checks made out to the estate deposit into an account titled to the estate, opened by the appointed executor or administrator under the estate's EIN.
How to open an estate account at Citizens Business Bank →Processing timelines at Citizens Business Bank: Varies based on account type, documentation completeness, and whether probate is required. Accounts with POD beneficiaries or trust titling are generally processed faster than accounts requiring probate. Incomplete documentation is the most common cause of delays—submitting all required documents with the initial claim helps avoid additional processing time.
Documentation required by Citizens Business Bank includes Certified copy of the death certificate, Government-issued photo ID for the claimant, and Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if probate is required), along with additional paperwork that varies by account type. All death certificates and court documents must be certified copies.
Frequently asked questions
The CVB Financial / Heritage Commerce merger closed April 17, 2026, with Heritage Bank of Commerce merged into Citizens Business Bank. Existing Heritage estate, trust, and POD accounts are being transitioned to Citizens Business Bank systems. Survivors and successor trustees with Heritage Bank of Commerce accounts should call Client Services at 1-888-228-2265 or visit any Business Financial Center, and refer to the Heritage Bank of Commerce Information Center at cbbank.com/heritage-bank-of-commerce-information-center/ for the latest transition details.
Yes. For estates that qualify under California Probate Code Section 13100, Citizens Business Bank accepts a Small Estate Affidavit in lieu of Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration to release deposit account funds. The threshold for deaths on or after April 1, 2025 is $208,850 (up from $184,500); the figure adjusts every three years for inflation, with the next scheduled adjustment on April 1, 2028. California also requires that at least 40 days have passed since the date of death before the affidavit can be presented. Bring the affidavit, certified death certificate, and your photo ID to any Business Financial Center.
CDARS (Certificate of Deposit Account Registry Service) splits a large deposit across CDs at multiple network institutions to keep all funds within the standard $250,000 FDIC insurance limit, while Citizens Business Bank remains your single point of contact. For estate purposes, CDARS-placed CDs are owned by you (or your trust) and pass like any other CD -- via POD beneficiary, trust titling, or through probate -- but the death claim has to be initiated through Citizens Business Bank, which coordinates the distribution across the network banks holding the underlying CDs.
CitizensTrust trust administration and asset management accounts are handled by the CitizensTrust trust administration team (1-888-734-4222), which provides comprehensive estate settlement including asset collection, tax filing, and beneficiary distributions. Brokerage accounts opened through CitizensTrust Investment Services route through LPL Financial (member FINRA/SIPC) and require LPL's separate death claim and TOD process -- Citizens Business Bank is not the broker-dealer of record. Deposit accounts (checking, savings, CDs) at the bank go through general Client Services at 1-888-228-2265.
Citizens Business Bank's Client Services can be reached by phone at 1-888-228-2265 for questions throughout the claims process.
Multiple Citizens Business Bank accounts may mean multiple claims. Some account types can be processed together, but others require their own documentation. Check with the Client Services to confirm what applies.
Sources
Data sourced from Citizens Business Bank primary sources (18 pages reviewed). How we research.
CitizensTrust Wealth Management
701 N Haven Avenue, Ontario, CA 91764
Client Services
701 N Haven Avenue, Ontario, CA 91764
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