What to do when a Consumers CU account holder dies
Report the death to Consumers CU's Member Services at 1-877-275-2228
The Member Services at Consumers 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.
Death claim process
The death claim process at Consumers CU works as follows:
Filing a claim
- File the loss-of-life claim through CCU's Member Claims Portal
- The portal is reached from the TruStage member claims page
- Or call the TruStage claims line at 800.621.6323, and a claims specialist starts the claim
Required Documents
- Death certificateA certified copy.
- Government-issued photo ID, for the beneficiary, joint owner or personal representativeThe agreement makes payment to a payable-on-death beneficiary conditional on the death certificate and government-issued photo ID.
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration, if there is no payable-on-death beneficiary, joint owner or trustIssued by the Illinois circuit court.
- Small Estate Affidavit, if the estate qualifies as a small estate under Illinois law
- Key trust pages, or an affidavit or certificate of trust, for a trust-owned accountWith the trust's TIN and the successor trustee's ID.
- IRA beneficiary distribution election forms, for retirement accounts
- TruStage claim submission and the death certificate, for a loss-of-life claim on loan payment protection
Claims Contact
Website: Online portal →
What happens to each kind of account6
- Joint account with survivorship
All sums pass to the surviving owner or owners. Their interest stays subject to CCU's statutory lien for the deceased owner's obligations and to any pledge the deceased owner granted, even without the survivor's consent.1
- Payable-on-death account
On the death of the last owner, funds are payable to all surviving beneficiaries in equal shares, unless state law provides otherwise, once they provide the death certificate and government-issued photo ID. CCU has no duty to tell a beneficiary that an account exists.1
- Trust account
The successor trustee provides the trust document or a certification of trust, the death certificate, and the trust's EIN.2
- Account in one name
With no joint owner, payable-on-death beneficiary or trust, the estate goes through probate, and the personal representative presents Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.2
- IRA
Beneficiaries complete distribution election forms.2
Payable-on-death and trust designations do not apply to IRAs.1
- Loan
A CCU loan or credit card may carry Consumer's Choice Protection, administered by TruStage, whose covered events include loss of life.3
Accounts handled elsewhere1
- TruStage
Loss-of-life claims on Consumer's Choice Protection for CCU loans and credit cards3
Phone: 1-800-621-6323
What Consumers CU's agreement and guidance say7
- Telling the institution
CCU may honor transactions until it knows of the death.1
- Payments after the death
CCU may keep paying checks or drafts drawn on the deceased member's account for ten days after the death, unless someone claiming an interest in the account tells it to stop payment.1
- Debts owed to the institution
CCU's statutory lien and right of offset reach all shares and deposits, but not an IRA or any account that would lose its tax treatment if pledged.1
- Indemnity a claimant may have to give
CCU may require anyone claiming a deceased owner's funds to indemnify it against losses. For trust, will or court-ordered arrangements, it may require indemnification or a bond.1
- Wills, probate and small estates
CCU will facilitate trust, will or court-ordered arrangements but gives no legal advice.1
The agreement binds the heirs and legal representatives of any owner.1
- Dormant and unclaimed accounts
An account with no deposits, withdrawals or other sufficient contact for the period set by Illinois law is presumed abandoned and the funds are remitted to the state. They must then be reclaimed from the Illinois State Treasurer rather than from CCU.1
- Powers of attorney
CCU reserves the right to review and approve any form of power of attorney, to restrict withdrawals or transfers, and to refuse a power of attorney where state law permits.1
Not in Consumers CU's published guidance1
- How long a claim takes
Consumers CU's Member Services can be reached by phone at 1-877-275-2228 for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
(2)·
Data sourced from Consumers CU primary sources (15 pages reviewed). How we research.
Consumers CU death claims support
Member Services
Phone
Live chat in Digital Banking
TruStage loan payment-protection claims (loss of life)
Hours
Mailing address
Website
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Forms for Settling an Estate
Free forms for settling an estate: probate petition, small estate affidavit, creditor notice and closing forms. Prepare each form for your state.
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 taxes. Run each tool for your state.
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Do I Need Probate?
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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.
