What to do when a Coastal CU account holder dies
Contact Coastal CU's Coastal Wealth Management — 10-step process, 6 required documents, and joint accounts transfer immediately. pod accounts are typically processed within 5-10 business days after receipt of required documents. estate accounts requiring probate documentation may take 30-90 days.
Phone919-420-8000
Toll-Free1-800-868-4262
Mailing Address
Coastal Credit Union, PO Box 97009, Raleigh, NC 27624
WebsiteLearn more →
Member Services - Death Claims
Phone919-420-8000
Toll-Free1-800-868-4262
Mailing Address
Coastal Credit Union, PO Box 97009, Raleigh, NC 27624
Verified Mar 2026
When a Coastal CU member passes away, the Coastal Wealth Management handles the transition of accounts to beneficiaries or the estate. Accounts with Payable on Death designations or trust ownership transfer outside of probate, while solely-owned accounts may require Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from the probate court.
Gather the account holder's full name, date of birth, and any known account or policy numbers before contacting Coastal CU. A certified death certificate is the primary document required to start any claim.
Death claim process
Here is the step-by-step death claim process at Coastal CU:
Filing a claim
1Contact Coastal at (800) 868-4262 or visit a local branch as soon as possible after the death
2Provide a certified copy of the death certificate
3Coastal reviews account type and ownership structure to determine distribution path
4Joint accounts: the surviving joint owner continues to use the account normally
5Single owner with POD: Coastal closes the account and distributes funds to the designated beneficiaries upon verification
6Single owner without POD: Coastal distributes funds to the estate; executor provides Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from probate court
7Beneficiaries provide government-issued photo ID to claim funds
8For trust beneficiaries: successor trustee provides trust documents, death certificate, and trustee identification
9IRA accounts pass to the designated beneficiary; distribution election forms are required
10For investment accounts through Coastal Wealth Management: contact LPL Financial directly for a separate death claim process
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for each beneficiary or claimant
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (when account has no POD designation)
- Complete trust document or Certificate of Trust (when trust is named beneficiary)
- Small estate affidavit (for estates under the NC small estate threshold)
- IRA beneficiary distribution election forms (for retirement accounts)
Contact Coastal as soon as possible after a death to prevent unauthorized transactions. Early withdrawal penalties on certificates are waived in the event of primary member death. For Coastal Wealth Management investment accounts, a separate death claim process applies through LPL Financial. Life insurance and annuity claims are handled by the issuing carrier, not Coastal directly. Power of Attorney becomes void at death and cannot be used to settle accounts.
Processing timelines at Coastal CU: Joint accounts transfer immediately. POD accounts are typically processed within 5-10 business days after receipt of required documents. Estate accounts requiring probate documentation may take 30-90 days.. Incomplete documentation is the most common cause of delays—submitting all required documents with the initial claim helps avoid additional processing time.
Coastal CU requires several documents to process a claim, including Certified copy of the death certificate, Government-issued photo ID for each beneficiary or claimant, and Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (when account has no POD designation), and additional documentation depending on the account type. Certified copies are typically needed—photocopies are generally not accepted for death certificates or court documents.
Frequently asked questions
Visit any Coastal branch or call (800) 868-4262 to request a POD (Payable on Death) beneficiary designation form. Complete the form with your primary and contingent beneficiary information, have all account owners sign it, and return it to Coastal. You may update your beneficiaries at any time by submitting a new signed form. POD designations cannot be completed online.
The outcome depends on account ownership. Joint accounts pass to the surviving owner. Accounts with a POD designation are closed and funds are distributed to the named beneficiaries upon verification. Accounts without a joint owner or POD designation are distributed to the estate through probate. IRA accounts pass to the designated beneficiary regardless of the will. Contact Coastal at (800) 868-4262 as soon as possible after a death. Early withdrawal penalties on certificates are waived upon the primary member's death.
Coastal's HSA is a tax-advantaged account for members enrolled in a High-Deductible Health Plan (HDHP). Contributions are pre-tax and withdrawals for qualified medical expenses are tax-free. If a spouse is named as the beneficiary, the HSA transfers to the surviving spouse and remains an HSA. If a non-spouse beneficiary is named, the account ceases to be an HSA as of the date of death and the fair market value becomes taxable income to the beneficiary. Beneficiary designation at account opening is required.
Coastal CU's Member Services - Death Claims can be reached by phone at 1-800-868-4262 for questions throughout the claims process.
If the deceased held multiple Coastal CU accounts, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The Coastal Wealth Management can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.
Phone919-420-8000
Toll-Free1-800-868-4262
Mailing Address
Coastal Credit Union, PO Box 97009, Raleigh, NC 27624
WebsiteLearn more →
Member Services - Death Claims
Phone919-420-8000
Toll-Free1-800-868-4262
Mailing Address
Coastal Credit Union, PO Box 97009, Raleigh, NC 27624
Verified Mar 2026
Tools for settling a Coastal CU estate
Calculators and checklists to help navigate estate settlement after a Coastal CU account holder passes away.
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