What to do when a City National account holder dies
Contact City National's Investments & Trust Services — 5-step process, 5 required documents, and varies by account type; pod/tod accounts may transfer within days once documents are received; probate estates depend on court timelines
Client Solutions and Service Enablement
Investments & Trust Services
City National Bank, 555 S. Flower Street, Los Angeles, CA 90071
After an account holder at City National 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 City National's Investments & Trust Services at 1-800-708-8881 with the proper legal authority documents.
Before contacting City National, have the account holder's full name, date of birth, and any available account numbers ready. A certified death certificate is required to initiate the claim.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
The death claim process at City National works as follows:
Filing a claim
- Deceased account holder's full legal name
- Account number(s)
- Date of death
- Joint accounts: surviving owner retains full access automatically
- POD/TOD accounts: beneficiary presents death certificate and government-issued photo ID; assets transfer without probate into a new account in the beneficiary's name
- Non-designated accounts: estate settlement through probate is required; provide Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration
- California small estates: if 40 days have elapsed since death and the estate qualifies under California Probate Code 13100, a successor may collect deposit balances with a small estate affidavit (declaration for collection of personal property) in place of probate Letters
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for beneficiary, executor, or representative
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (for estate/probate accounts)
- Trust documentation (if the account was held in trust)
- Small estate affidavit (if applicable under state law; in California, a Probate Code 13100 declaration for collection of personal property, available 40 days after death)
What to know at this institution
City National offers comprehensive estate administration services including corporate executor/administrator services, estate settlement, probate administration, conservatorships, testamentary trust administration, and preparation and filing of income and estate tax returns. As a California-headquartered bank, it accepts a California Probate Code 13100 small estate affidavit (declaration for collection of personal property) for qualifying estates once 40 days have elapsed since death, in place of full probate Letters. RBC Rochdale, LLC (renamed from City National Rochdale effective January 6, 2026) is the bank's SEC-registered investment management affiliate for wealth and trust portfolios.
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.
- Full legal name
- Social Security number
- Loan number
- Continue making payments
- Apply for loss mitigation
- Assume the loan
- Refinance
- Pay off the balance
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 Mortgage 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)
Claims Contact
Phone: 1-800-700-6901
City National Bank, Mortgage Servicing, 555 S. Flower Street, Los Angeles, CA 90071
What to know at this institution
Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act (12 U.S.C. 1701j-3), City National 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.
Prepare your letter of instruction to City National
City National accepts a claimant-drafted letter of instruction. We draft it for you — addressed to City National'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 City National →Processing timelines at City National: Varies by account type; POD/TOD accounts may transfer within days once documents are received; probate estates depend on court timelines. Incomplete documentation is the most common cause of delays—submitting all required documents with the initial claim helps avoid additional processing time.
City National requires several documents to process a claim, including Certified death certificate, Government-issued photo ID for beneficiary, executor, or representative, and Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (for estate/probate accounts), and additional documentation depending on the account type. Certified copies are typically needed—photocopies are generally not accepted for death certificates or court documents.
City National's Investments & Trust Services can be reached by phone at 1-800-708-8881 for questions throughout the claims process.
Multiple City National accounts may mean multiple claims. Some account types can be processed together, but others require their own documentation. Check with the Investments & Trust Services to confirm what applies.
Sources
Data sourced from City National primary sources (18 pages reviewed). How we research.
Client Solutions and Service Enablement
Investments & Trust Services
City National Bank, 555 S. Flower Street, Los Angeles, CA 90071
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your City National accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
Is this your situation?
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
More tools for handling this estate
Calculators and checklists for executors and trustees.
How Much Does Probate Cost?
Estimate attorney fees, executor fees, court costs, and timeline for probating an estate in your state. See if the estate qualifies for simplified probate procedures.
How Much Can an Executor Charge?
Calculate how much an executor (personal representative) can charge for administering an estate. See if your state has statutory fees or uses reasonable compensation.
Who Inherits Without a Will?
Find out who inherits your estate and how much they get if you die without a will. Based on your state's intestate succession laws.
What's Fair Trustee Compensation?
Find out what's fair compensation for serving as trustee. Compare family, professional, and corporate trustee rates based on your situation.
How Much Are Estate & Inheritance Taxes?
Calculate federal estate tax, state estate tax (12 states + DC), and inheritance tax (5 states) for an estate or trust.
How Many Death Certificates Do I Need?
Calculate how many certified death certificates you need based on the assets and accounts you need to close. See state-specific ordering information.
