Estate planning at CrossFirst Bank
How to protect 13 CrossFirst Bank accounts — manage beneficiaries in-branch, fund a trust in-branch, and file claims through CrossFirst Bank's Busey Wealth Management - Trust Services & Estate Advisory (contact via web form; no direct phone line published)
Brand change
CrossFirst Bankshares, Inc. was acquired by First Busey Corporation effective March 1, 2025. CrossFirst Bank operated as a separate banking subsidiary until June 20, 2025, when it was merged with and into Busey Bank. Former CrossFirst banking centers now operate under the Busey Bank brand. Estate and death-claim procedures are handled by Busey Bank. Effective June 2025.
CrossFirst Bank is now part of Busey. The procedures below reflect CrossFirst Bank's accounts during the transition. View the Busey estate planning page.
CrossFirst Bank
Subsidiary of CrossFirst Bankshares, Inc. (acquired by First Busey Corporation)
busey.com→
Busey Customer Care
Busey Bank, 100 W University Ave, Champaign, IL 61820
Busey Wealth Management - Trust Services & Estate Advisory (contact via web form; no direct phone line published)
Busey Customer Care (no separate consumer estate/claims phone line; death claims run through Customer Care or in-branch)
Busey Bank, 100 W University Ave, Champaign, IL 61820
CrossFirst Bank offers 13 consumer accounts that interact with estate planning in distinct ways. Of those, 10 can name a trust as beneficiary or be retitled into a trust. Understanding the transfer methods available for each account type helps families keep assets out of probate and ensure they pass to the right people.
At CrossFirst Bank, beneficiary designations are managed in branch, by mail, and by phone. Accounts can also be retitled into a trust to keep them out of probate entirely.
CrossFirst Bank has documented procedures for both preparing accounts during your lifetime and handling claims when an account holder passes away.
Preparing your estate
Beneficiaries and trust funding
How to update beneficiaries in-branch, fund a trust in-branch, and review 13 account types at CrossFirst Bank.
View details →When someone dies
Death claim process
Contact CrossFirst Bank's Busey Wealth Management - Trust Services & Estate Advisory (contact via web form; no direct phone line published) to file a claim. 5-step process, 9 required documents, and contact information for survivors.
View details →CrossFirst Bank is not available nationwide. Estate planning procedures may vary by state, so confirm that your location is served before making account changes.
Frequently asked questions
CrossFirst Bankshares, Inc. was acquired by First Busey Corporation effective March 1, 2025, in a $917 million transaction. CrossFirst Bank operated as a separate banking subsidiary until June 2025, when all CrossFirst Bank branches were merged into Busey Bank. Former CrossFirst customers now bank with Busey Bank using the same branch locations. The combined organization operates from 77 locations across 10 states with approximately $20 billion in total assets.
Yes. Busey Wealth Management provides comprehensive trust administration and estate advisory services. As of the March 2025 merger completion, the combined organization reported approximately $14 billion in wealth assets under care. Their professionals serve as trustees, co-trustees, executors, and fiduciaries, handling estate administration from asset valuation through beneficiary distributions. They act as impartial liaisons to ensure the decedent wishes are carried out according to legal documents. Contact Busey Wealth Management through any branch or at https://www.busey.com/wealth-management/trust-services-estate-advisory.
Yes. All deposits at former CrossFirst Bank branches, now operating as Busey Bank, are FDIC insured up to the maximum allowed by law. Standard coverage is $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, for each account ownership category. POD beneficiaries receive separate FDIC insurance coverage of up to $250,000 per beneficiary. Trust accounts are also FDIC insured based on the number of qualifying beneficiaries.
You need a Certification of Trust (or the relevant pages of your trust agreement identifying the trust name, date, grantors, trustees, and trustee powers), government-issued photo ID for all trustees, and the trust tax identification number (EIN) or grantor SSN for revocable trusts. Bring any amendments to the original trust agreement. Visit a Busey Bank branch to complete the application.
Foundation Checking is a standard no-fee checking account with no minimum balance requirement, surcharge-free ATM access, and a free Debit Mastercard. Bridge Checking is designed as an affordable option for customers who may have been previously declined for a checking account due to prior banking history. Bridge Checking includes digital banking access but does not offer overdraft services or fees. Both accounts support POD beneficiary designations and can be retitled to a trust.
Sources
Data sourced from CrossFirst Bank primary sources (13 pages reviewed). How we research.
CrossFirst Bank
Subsidiary of CrossFirst Bankshares, Inc. (acquired by First Busey Corporation)
busey.com→Busey Customer Care
Busey Bank, 100 W University Ave, Champaign, IL 61820
Busey Wealth Management - Trust Services & Estate Advisory (contact via web form; no direct phone line published)
Busey Customer Care (no separate consumer estate/claims phone line; death claims run through Customer Care or in-branch)
Busey Bank, 100 W University Ave, Champaign, IL 61820
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your CrossFirst Bank accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
