What to do when a Clear Mountain Bank account holder dies
Report the death to Clear Mountain Bank's Customer Service Center at 1-304-379-2265
What happens to Clear Mountain 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 Clear Mountain Bank's Customer Service Center (1-304-379-2265) to claim the funds.
The claim process begins with a phone call to 1-304-379-2265. Have the account holder's full name, account numbers, and the death certificate available when making initial contact.
Death claim process
To file a claim after an account holder's death, here is what Clear Mountain Bank requires:
Filing a claim
What happens to each kind of account2
State law on paying a balance without lettersWest Virginia
- West Virginia
W. Va. Code § 44-1-28(c), (d)
West Virginia law permits a bank to pay from a deceased depositor's balance on an affidavit, without letters testamentary or letters of administration.W. Va. Code § 44-1-28(c), (d)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
Limit: $5,000 per account
When: 120 days after the death
Paid to: the decedent’s surviving spouse, if any; if no spouse survived the decedent, the distributees of the decedent under the laws of the State of West Virginia, as established by an affidavit to that effect (in that order)
The section permits the payment. It does not require the bank to make it. The section sets further conditions.
Accounts handled elsewhere1
- Clear Mountain Financial Solutions (LPL Financial)
Investment, annuity and insurance accounts held with LPL Financial advisors, which are not bank deposits3, 4
Phone: 1-304-292-7372
What Clear Mountain Bank's agreement and guidance say3
- Fees
The March 2026 fee schedule charges $25 an hour for account research, with a one-hour minimum, and $10 for an account balance verification letter.2
- Dormant and unclaimed accounts
A checking, savings or money market account with less than $500 and no deposits or withdrawals for a year is charged a dormant fee of $6 a month.2
- Holds and legal process
A tax levy or garnishment on an account costs $125.2
Not in Clear Mountain Bank's published guidance13
- A procedure for reporting a death
- A department for deceased-customer accounts
- A claim form
- A list of required documents
- Whether the death certificate must be certified
- A fax number for claim documents
- An email address for claim documents
- An online way to report a death
- How long a claim takes
- A small-estate procedure
- Which court appointment document it accepts
- Terms in its agreements for a customer's death
- Deposit account agreement
Sources4
- 1.Mastercard Account Terms and Conditions, updated October 1, 2025
- 2.Service Charges and Pricing Information Guide, March 15, 2026
- 3.Financial Solutions Team
- 4.Financial Solutions Services
Clear Mountain Bank's Customer Service Center can be reached by phone at 1-304-379-2265 for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
Data sourced from Clear Mountain Bank primary sources (22 pages reviewed). How we research.
Clear Mountain Bank death claims support
Customer Service Center
Phone
Hours
Mailing address
Website
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your Clear Mountain Bank accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
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Forms for Settling an Estate
Free forms for settling an estate: the probate petition, small estate affidavit, notice to creditors, inventory, and closing forms.
Affidavit of Death
Put a joint owner's or a transfer on death deed owner's death on the land records with the affidavit your state's statute names, laid out for recording.
IRS Form 56
Notify the IRS that you are the fiduciary of an estate, a trust or a person, or end a notice filed before, on the official form.
Digital Assets Recovery Letter
Prepare a letter requesting a deceased person's online accounts, points, and balances from the program that holds them.
Petition for Probate and Letters
Open probate and ask the court to appoint you and issue Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
Notice to Creditors
Notify estate creditors and start the claim period — the published notice plus mailed copies for known creditors.
Renunciation of Executor
Decline an appointment as executor named in a will — the writing filed with the court before anyone is appointed.
Tools for Settling an Estate
Free tools for settling an estate: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines, and inheritance taxes.
How Many Death Certificates Do I Need?
Calculate how many certified death certificates you need and see ordering info for your state.
Do I Need Probate?
Find out if an estate needs probate or qualifies for simplified procedures.
What Happens to Jointly Owned Property When an Owner Dies?
See what your state records when a joint tenant with right of survivorship dies: an affidavit, the death certificate or a new deed.
Do I Have to File Tax Returns for Someone Who Died?
Find out which tax returns need to be filed after someone dies and whether tax clearance is required.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Personalized plan for settling an estate after someone passes away.
What Do I Do When Someone Dies?
A step-by-step checklist for the days, weeks, and months after a death, with state rules noted where they apply.
