What to do when a Connex CU account holder dies

Contact Connex CU — 4-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.

Connex CU

Credit Union · Regional

connexcu.org→

Member Service Center

Phone(203) 603-5700

Toll-Free(800) 278-6466

Emailebranch@connexcu.org

Mailing Address

Connex Credit Union, P.O. Box 477, North Haven, CT 06473

WebsiteLearn more→

Member Service Center

Phone(203) 603-5700

Toll-Free(800) 278-6466

Emailebranch@connexcu.org

Mailing Address

Connex Credit Union, P.O. Box 477, North Haven, CT 06473

WebsiteLearn more→

Member Service Center (handles death/estate claims; no dedicated estate department)

Phone(203) 603-5700

Toll-Free(800) 278-6466

Emailebranch@connexcu.org

Mailing Address

Connex Credit Union, P.O. Box 477, North Haven, CT 06473

Verified Jul 2026

The Member Service Center (handles death/estate claims; no dedicated estate department) at Connex CU coordinates account transitions after a member's death. How each account is handled depends on its setup: POD and trust accounts transfer automatically, while solely-owned accounts typically require court authorization through Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.

Claims can be filed by phone ((203) 603-5700) or by emailing documentation to ebranch@connexcu.org. Before reaching out, gather the account holder's full name, account numbers, and a certified death certificate.

Death claim process

Here is the step-by-step death claim process at Connex CU:

Filing a claim

Contact Connex at (203) 603-5700 or (800) 278-6466, or visit a local branch as soon as possible after the death. Under the Membership and Account Agreement's "Death or Incompetence of Account Owner" clause, Connex may keep honoring transactions until it is notified of the death and given satisfactory evidence (a certified death certificate or court order); after notice it may still honor payments the member authorized for up to ten (10) days unless a person claiming an interest instructs it to stop.

Provide a certified copy of the death certificate

Connex reviews the account type and ownership structure to determine the distribution path:

Joint accounts with rights of survivorship: the surviving joint owner continues to use the account normally; the balance passes to the surviving owner(s), subject to the credit union's lien and set-off rights
Single owner with POD: Connex closes the account and distributes funds to the named POD beneficiaries upon verification (multiple beneficiaries share pro-rata to 100%, or equally if no percentages are stated; a predeceased beneficiary's share is reallocated pro-rata among the living beneficiaries)
Single owner without POD or beneficiary: Connex pays funds per the Account Card; if there is no beneficiary designation, no probate proceeding, and no estate, it may (but is not required to) pay any heir, or hold the funds until a proper court order is presented
Single owner without POD, with an estate: the executor/administrator provides Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from the Connecticut Probate Court

Claimants provide identification and supporting documents:

Beneficiaries provide government-issued photo ID to claim funds
For trust beneficiaries: the successor trustee provides the trust document or Certificate of Trust, death certificate, and trustee identification
IRA accounts pass to the designated beneficiary; a beneficiary distribution election form is required
Small Connecticut estates: where the decedent left no solely owned real estate and total solely owned personal property does not exceed $40,000, a Probate Court Form PC-212 (Affidavit in Lieu of Probate of Will/Administration, C.G.S. 45a-273) may be used instead of full administration

Required Documents

Certified copy of the death certificate
Government-issued photo ID for each beneficiary or claimant
Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from the Connecticut Probate Court (when the account has no POD designation and no surviving joint owner)
Connecticut Probate Court Form PC-212 (Affidavit in Lieu of Probate, C.G.S. 45a-273) for solely owned personal property of $40,000 or less with no solely owned real estate
Complete trust document or Certificate of Trust (when a trust is named beneficiary)
IRA beneficiary distribution election form (for retirement accounts)

What to know at this institution

Connex does not publish a dedicated estate-services or bereavement page or a standalone death-claim form; the Member Service Center (203) 603-5700 / (800) 278-6466 handles claims, and the process follows the Membership and Account Agreement (Rev. 6/2025). Contact Connex as soon as possible after a death to prevent unauthorized transactions. The credit union is not obligated to notify any beneficiary of the existence of any account except as required by law, and it may require a claimant to indemnify it before releasing funds. Early withdrawal penalties on certificates may be waived upon the primary member's death. Visa credit card balances become a liability of the estate. Power of Attorney becomes void at death and cannot be used to settle accounts. NCUA insurance coverage on joint and POD funds continues for up to six months after the date of death. Connecticut has no state inheritance tax and no bank tax-waiver requirement, so no state waiver is needed to release a member's account.

Download instructions for the whole estate

Prepare your letter of instruction to Connex CU

Connex CU accepts a claimant-drafted letter of instruction. We draft it for you — addressed to Connex CU's verified claims department, with the documents it requires enclosed.

Build your letter of instruction

Expected timelines at Connex 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. Delays are almost always caused by incomplete paperwork—gathering all required documents before filing the initial claim helps avoid back-and-forth.

Connex 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 from the Connecticut Probate Court (when the account has no POD designation and no surviving joint owner), 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 Connex branch or call (203) 603-5700 or toll-free (800) 278-6466 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 Connex. You may update your beneficiaries at any time by submitting a new signed form. POD designations cannot be completed online.

Contact Connex at (203) 603-5700 or (800) 278-6466 as soon as possible after the death. For joint accounts with rights of survivorship, the surviving owner continues to use the account normally. For single-owner accounts with a POD designation, Connex closes the account and distributes funds to the named beneficiaries after verifying a certified death certificate and valid ID. For accounts without POD or joint ownership, the executor provides Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from the Connecticut Probate Court; where the decedent left no solely owned real estate and $40,000 or less in solely owned personal property, a Probate Court Form PC-212 small-estate affidavit (C.G.S. 45a-273) may be used instead. Connecticut has no inheritance tax, so no tax waiver is needed. Early withdrawal penalties on certificates may be waived upon the primary member's death, and NCUA coverage on joint and POD funds continues for up to six months after the date of death.

Yes. As a Connex member you are eligible to enroll in $2,000 of no-cost TruStage Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance underwritten by CMFG Life Insurance Company. Members age 18 and older can add up to an additional $300,000 of coverage on a Member Only or Family plan. Enroll at TruStage.com/ADD; for TruStage life insurance, call 1-800-814-2914 for a quote.

Connex CU's Member Service Center (handles death/estate claims; no dedicated estate department) can be reached by phone at (800) 278-6466 and email at ebranch@connexcu.org for questions throughout the claims process.

Multiple Connex CU accounts may mean multiple claims. Some account types can be processed together, but others require their own documentation. Check with the Member Service Center (handles death/estate claims; no dedicated estate department) to confirm what applies.