What to do when a Customers Bank account holder dies
Report the death to Customers Bank at 1-866-476-2265
What happens to Customers 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 Customers Bank (1-610-933-7195) to claim the funds.
The first step is contacting Customers Bank at 1-610-933-7195 with the account holder's full name, account numbers, and the death certificate in hand.
Death claim process
Follow these steps to file a death claim with Customers Bank:
Filing a claim
- A certified copy of the death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for the claimant
- The account numbers, which the bank needs to locate the relationship
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificateDelivering it also ends any power of attorney on the account.
- Government-issued photo ID for the claimant
- Account numbersThe bank needs them to locate the relationship. A Max Savings account is opened through Maxmyinterest.com and may not appear on a branch statement.
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration, for an individual account with no payable-on-death beneficiary or survivorship, where probate is required
- Small-estate affidavit, where the estate qualifies under the state's rules in place of probate
- Trust agreement or Certification of Trust, for an account held in trust
- The successor fiduciary's appointment documents, for a fiduciary account
- Written stop-payment instruction, if checks written before the death should not be paid during the 14-day window
- Distribution or account-closure paperwork, once the bank has reviewed the fileCustomers Bank provides it.
What happens to each kind of account8
- Account in one name
On an individual account, "Upon that person's death, we will pay the funds in the account in accordance with the appropriate documents presented to us."1
- Payable-on-death account
The "Revocable Trust Account" is the bank's payable-on-death account. "The beneficiaries cannot withdraw funds from the account unless all of you die and the beneficiary is then living."1
"If two or more beneficiaries survive, the Bank will pay the funds in account in equal shares to the beneficiaries." The funds "will not be inherited by your heirs or controlled by your will."1
- Joint account with survivorship
When one owner dies, "the account will be owned by the surviving owner(s)." The bank may continue paying checks signed by a surviving owner or authorized signer.1
- Joint account without survivorship
On a joint account without survivorship (tenants in common), "we may freeze the account until we receive documents satisfactory to us instructing us how to treat the account." Generally the deceased owner's equal share passes to the estate, not the surviving owner.1
- Trust account
On an irrevocable trust account, "If you die or are replaced as trustee, we will not release any funds until all required legal documents have been delivered to us and all other legal requirements have been met."1
- Fiduciary account
On an account held by a trustee, guardian, executor or administrator, "we will pay the account balance in accordance with the terms of any appropriate legal documentation presented to us or upon the instructions of any successor fiduciary."1
"A successor fiduciary must first present to us the appropriate documentation establishing their appointment."1
- Custodial account (UTMA/UGMA)
The Account Agreement says state law determines how the balance is handled on the custodian's death, resignation or removal, and that only the custodian may act on the account.1
- Certificate of deposit
The CD and IRA CD terms state that "Under certain circumstances such as the death or incompetence of an owner of this account the law may permit or require that a withdrawal be allowed," and that the law may require waiver of the early withdrawal penalty.1
Maturing CDs renew automatically, with only a 10 calendar day grace period.1
State law on paying a balance without lettersNew York, Pennsylvania, Texas
- New York
N.Y. SCPA § 1310
New York law permits a bank to pay from a deceased depositor's balance on an affidavit made under oath, without letters testamentary or letters of administration.N.Y. SCPA § 1310Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
Paid to: surviving spouse
Limit: $30,000 in total from every holder
When: forthwith
Paid to: surviving spouse, children eighteen or older, either parent, brother or sister, niece or nephew, or at their request a creditor or the person who paid the funeral expense
Limit: $15,000 in total from every holder
When: not less than thirty days after the death
Paid to: a distributee, a creditor, or the person who paid the funeral expenses
Limit: $5,000 held at the institution and $5,000 in total from every holder
When: not less than 6 months after the death
The section permits the payment. It does not require the bank to make it. The section sets further conditions.
- Pennsylvania
20 Pa.C.S. § 3101(b)
Pennsylvania law directs a bank to pay from a deceased depositor's balance on an affidavit, without letters testamentary or letters of administration.20 Pa.C.S. § 3101(b)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
Limit: $20,000 held at the institution
When: at any time after the death of a depositor, member or certificate holder
Paid to: the spouse; any child; the father or mother; any sister or brother
The section sets further conditions.
- Texas
Tex. Est. Code § 152.051
Texas law permits a bank to pay from a deceased depositor's balance on an order of the court, without letters testamentary or letters of administration.Tex. Est. Code § 152.051Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
Paid to: a funeral home or the applicant, for funeral and burial expenses
Limit: $5,000 in total from every holder
When: the application may be filed "not earlier than the third day after the date of the decedent's death and not later than nine months after the date of the decedent's death"
The section permits the payment. It does not require the bank to make it. The section sets further conditions.
What Customers Bank's agreement and guidance say8
- Payments after the death
Under "Your Death or Incapacity," Customers Bank "may accept, pay, and collect checks and other items after you die... until we know of your death... and have a reasonable opportunity to act."1
"Even if we have knowledge of your death, we may, for fourteen (14) calendar days after the date of death, pay checks written before your death." It will not pay them if it receives a stop payment from the legal representative or another person with a legal interest in the account.1
- Telling the institution
Under the Notices clause, "any notice from you must be in writing" and "will be effective when it is actually received by us, provided we have reasonable opportunity to act on it."1
- Powers of attorney
The Account Agreement binds the bank to an agent's acts until it receives a signed revocation, "a certified copy of your death certificate," or a court order of incapacity, so an agent's transactions can still bind the estate until then.1
- Disputes between claimants
Under "Disputes Affecting the Account," the bank may "place a hold on the funds in the account pending resolution of the dispute," may let all signers keep using it, or may "deposit the account balance into a court."1
Under "Adverse Claims," the bank "may choose not to act on that claim until we receive a court order." The Disputes and Adverse Claims clauses shift the bank's costs and attorney fees to the account.1
- Indemnity a claimant may have to give
Under "Adverse Claims," the bank may act on a claim if the claimant "agrees in writing to pay us for any losses, damages, costs and expenses we incur (this is called indemnification)."1
- Debts owed to the institution
Customers Bank may use money in any account the customer owns to pay a debt owed to it, without notice, across joint and individual accounts. The set-off clause excludes "IRA, Irrevocable Trust or Custodian Accounts."1
- Dormant and unclaimed accounts
An account with no deposit or withdrawal and nothing in writing from the owner for one year is dormant. The bank is "generally required by law to deliver to the applicable state agency any funds in an account" after the period set by state law.1
- Which state governs the account
The law governing the account is that of the state where it is maintained, or of Pennsylvania if the account was opened by mail.1
Not in Customers Bank's published guidance7
- A procedure for reporting a death
- A department for deceased-customer accounts
- A claim form
- A mailing address for claim documents
- How long a claim takes
- A small-estate procedure
- Pennsylvania-specific rules for a customer's death
Sources1
Customers Bank can be reached by phone at 1-866-476-2265 for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
Data sourced from Customers Bank primary sources (15 pages reviewed). How we research.
Customers Bank death claims support
Phone
Toll-free
Hours
Mailing address
Website
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