What to do when a Columbia Bank account holder dies
Contact Columbia Bank's Columbia Trust Company — 3-step process, 5 required documents, and pod accounts: typically 5-10 business days after documentation received. probate-dependent accounts: varies based on court proceedings.
Columbia Trust Company
Columbia Trust Company, 1301 A Street, Suite 800, Tacoma, WA 98402
Customer Service (Estate / Deceased Account Notifications)
What happens to Columbia 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 Columbia Bank's Customer Service (Estate / Deceased Account Notifications) (1-866-486-7782) to claim the funds.
Death claims at Columbia Bank can be started through an online portal, which streamlines the initial notification and document upload. Phone options are also available.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
To file a claim after an account holder's death, here is what Columbia Bank requires:
Filing a claim
- Call 1-866-486-7782 or 1-866-563-1010, or visit a local branch
- A written notice can also be mailed to your local Columbia Bank branch
- Deceased account holder information (full name, date of death, SSN)
- Certified death certificate (multiple copies recommended)
- Individual accounts are frozen pending legal documentation
- Joint accounts with right of survivorship generally remain accessible to surviving holders
- POD accounts: beneficiary provides certified death certificate and valid government-issued ID to receive funds
- Trust-titled accounts: successor trustee provides death certificate, trust document, and trustee ID
- Non-POD individual accounts: executor provides Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate (multiple copies recommended)
- Government-issued ID for beneficiary, executor, or trustee
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if no POD/trust and probate is required)
- Trust documents and trustee identification (if trust is account owner or beneficiary)
- Small Estate Affidavit (if eligible under state law)
What to know at this institution
Notification should occur as soon as possible after death. Automatic payments and scheduled transfers on the deceased's individual accounts may be stopped once the bank is notified. For mortgage-related death notifications, contact Home Preservation at (866) 743-4931 or HomePreservation@ColumbiaBank.com. Document the representative's name and any reference numbers for your records.
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.
- Provide the deceased borrower's full legal name, Social Security number, and loan number
- Submit a certified copy of the death certificate
- Provide documentation proving your ownership interest in the property (e.g., probated will, court order, deed, trust document, or marriage certificate)
- Columbia Bank will review your documentation and confirm your status as a Successor in Interest
- 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
- Documentation proving ownership interest in the property: probated will, court order, recorded deed, trust document, or marriage certificate
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if going through probate)
- Loan number and borrower information
What to know at this institution
Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act (12 U.S.C. § 1701j-3), Columbia 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, loss mitigation options, and assumption rights. Home Preservation phone: (866) 743-4931, email: HomePreservation@ColumbiaBank.com. General customer service: 1-866-486-7782.
Opening 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 Columbia Bank →Expected timelines at Columbia Bank: POD accounts: typically 5-10 business days after documentation received. Probate-dependent accounts: varies based on court proceedings. 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 Columbia Bank includes Certified death certificate (multiple copies recommended), Government-issued ID for beneficiary, executor, or trustee, and Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if no POD/trust and 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
Yes. Columbia Bank deposit accounts including checking, savings, money market, and CDs support POD beneficiary designations. You can add or change POD beneficiaries by visiting a branch or by mail. Beneficiary changes cannot be made online. You will need to complete a Beneficiary Designation Form with each beneficiary's full legal name, date of birth, SSN, and relationship. Named POD beneficiaries override instructions in a will.
Call 1-866-486-7782 (Monday-Friday 7:00am-6:00pm PT, Saturday-Sunday 8:00am-5:00pm PT) or visit a local branch. Provide the deceased account holder's full name, date of death, SSN, and a certified death certificate. Next steps depend on account type: POD accounts pass directly to named beneficiaries, trust accounts require successor trustee documentation, and non-POD individual accounts require Letters Testamentary from probate court. For mortgage-related death notifications, contact Home Preservation at (866) 743-4931.
Columbia Bank's Customer Service (Estate / Deceased Account Notifications) can be reached by phone at 1-866-486-7782 for questions throughout the claims process.
When the deceased had multiple Columbia Bank accounts, some may need separate claims while others can be handled together. The Customer Service (Estate / Deceased Account Notifications) can clarify what's needed for each account type.
Sources
Data sourced from Columbia Bank primary sources (26 pages reviewed). How we research.
Columbia Trust Company
Columbia Trust Company, 1301 A Street, Suite 800, Tacoma, WA 98402
Customer Service (Estate / Deceased Account Notifications)
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