What to do when a Delta Community CU account holder dies
Report the death to Delta Community CU's Account Transition Department at 1-404-677-4659
When a member of Delta Community CU passes away, the Account Transition Department handles the transition of accounts to beneficiaries or the estate. Accounts with Payable on Death designations or trust ownership transfer outside of probate, while solely-owned accounts may require Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from the probate court.
Gather the account holder's full name, date of birth, and any known account or policy numbers before contacting Delta Community CU.
Death claim process
To file a claim after an account holder's death, here is what Delta Community CU requires:
Filing a claim
- Call the Account Transition Department at 404-677-4659, option 3
- Email Account.Transition@DeltaCommunityCU.com
- Call the general support line at 800-544-3328
- Mail to Delta Community Credit Union, Attn: Account Transition Services, P.O. Box 20541, Atlanta, GA 30320-2541, or fax 470-351-6550
- Visit any branch in person
Required Documents
- Death certificateDelta Community asks for a certified copy.
- Government-issued photo ID, for each beneficiary or claimant
- All affected account numbers
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration, when an account has no payable-on-death designation and no joint owner
- Small Estate Affidavit, in place of letters, where the small estate affidavit process applies to an account with no payable-on-death designation and no joint owner
- Trust documents and trustee identification, when a trust is named as beneficiary
- Completed estate account application and photo ID for each executor or administrator, to open a Delta Community Estate Account
- Proof of the estate's Tax ID Number (EIN), to open a Delta Community Estate AccountThe EIN is obtained for the estate at irs.gov or 800-829-4933.
- Documentation of the property ownership interest, and a certified death certificate, where a co-borrower is assuming a Delta Community mortgage or home equity loan
What happens to each kind of account7
- Joint account with survivorship
The surviving joint owner continues to use the account and may keep using an existing debit card or writing checks. Delta Community automatically cancels the late member's cards.1
Delta Community generally requires the account to be closed within six months of the date of death, and works with the survivor to open a new account in their own name.1
Joint accounts carry a right of survivorship: all funds are owned jointly, and payment to any one owner discharges the credit union.2
- Payable-on-death account
On a single-owner account with a payable-on-death designation, the account is closed and the funds are paid directly to the named beneficiaries.1
On a joint account with a payable-on-death designation, the funds pass to the surviving joint owners when the primary owner dies. The beneficiaries receive nothing until all account owners have died.1
- Account in one name
An account in one name (including a CD) with no payable-on-death beneficiary and no joint owner is paid to the estate or next of kin under Georgia law, through a small estate affidavit where applicable, or against letters from the probate court.1
- Certificate of deposit
On a jointly owned CD, the surviving joint owner may move the funds "as is" into a new CD that keeps the original dividend rate and maturity date, or cash in the CD without penalty.1
- IRA
IRA documents must be originals, sent by mail or presented in person at a branch. Faxed copies are not accepted.1
- Fiduciary account
An executor or administrator can open a Delta Community Estate Account, a checking account with a companion savings account ($5 minimum savings balance), to hold estate assets apart from personal funds.1
The Estate Account can be a savings, checking or money market account and is eligible for Online Banking. It requires that the deceased person was a primary member in good standing; checks are ordered in the estate's name with the executor's name on the second line.1
- Credit card
A joint borrower remains liable for the balance, including charges that post after the date of death. An authorized user generally is not.1
State requirements Delta Community CU statesGeorgia, Louisiana
State law on paying a balance without lettersGeorgia, Kentucky, Texas
- Georgia
O.C.G.A. § 7-1-239
Georgia law permits a credit union to pay from a deceased member's balance on an affidavit, without letters testamentary or letters of administration.O.C.G.A. § 7-1-239Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
Paid to: the surviving spouse; else the children; else the father and mother; else the brothers and sisters (subsection (b))
Limit: $15,000 held at the institution
Paid to: providers of funeral services and of services for the last illness (subsection (c))
Limit: $15,000 held at the institution
When: if no application for the deposit is made by any person named in subsection (b) of this Code section within 45 days from the death of the intestate depositor
The section applies where the person died without a will. The section permits the payment. It does not require the credit union to make it. The section sets further conditions.
- Kentucky
KRS 391.030(2)
Kentucky law directs a credit union to pay from a deceased member's balance on an order of the court, without letters testamentary or letters of administration.KRS 391.030(2)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
Paid to: surviving spouse
Limit: $2,500 in total from every holder
The section sets further conditions.
- Texas
Tex. Est. Code § 152.051
Texas law permits a credit union to pay from a deceased member'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 credit union to make it. The section sets further conditions.
Accounts handled elsewhere3
- Delta Community IRA Team
Deceased-member IRA matters (option 2)1
Phone: 1-404-677-4600
Email: DeptIRA@DeltaCommunityCU.com
- Delta Community Trust & Estate Specialists
Deceased-member trust or estate accounts, and opening an Estate Account (option 2)1
Phone: 1-404-677-4100
- CUNA Mutual Group
Payment Protection Plan (Credit Life & Disability) claims on consumer loans and credit cards1
Phone: 1-800-621-6323
What Delta Community CU's agreement and guidance say8
- Payments after the death
"We may pay checks or honor payments of transfer orders authorized by the deceased member for a period of ten (10) days after the date of death unless we receive instructions from a joint account owner or other legally authorized person to stop payment."2
- Debts owed to the institution
Delta Community may exercise its right of setoff and security interest against funds credited to the balance after the member's death, "even if a payable on death payee has rights to the account."2
Outstanding consumer loan and credit card balances may be paid by offset against deposit accounts, and Delta Community may also file a claim with the estate.1
- Deposits after the death
Delta Community is required to return any direct deposit from a federal paying agency (Social Security Administration, U.S. Veterans Administration, Teacher's Retirement System) received on or after the date of death.1
- What it does when notified
Where there is no joint owner, the Deceased Accounts team codes the account to block further debits and credits.1
The Deceased Accounts Department checks whether the member had payment protection (Credit Life & Disability) and submits a claim if it applies.1
- Wills, probate and small estates
The Membership Agreement provides for "anyone claiming funds of deceased intestate members by affidavit."2
- Which state governs the account
The Membership Agreement is governed by Georgia law, with venue in the state and federal courts in Atlanta.2
- What it says about taxes
Delta Community's guide says IRS reporting continues under the deceased person's SSN until the account is closed.1
- Membership
The deceased member's spouse, parents, children (natural born, step and adopted), siblings, grandparents and grandchildren remain eligible to join, so a surviving joint owner can open the replacement account in their own name.1
Joint accounts transfer immediately. Payable-on-death accounts typically take 2-4 weeks; estate accounts needing probate documents may take 30-90 days.
Delta Community CU's Account Transition Department can be reached by phone at 1-404-677-4659, email at Account.Transition@DeltaCommunityCU.com, and fax at 1-470-351-6550 for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
Data sourced from Delta Community CU primary sources (23 pages reviewed). How we research.
Delta Community CU death claims support
Account Transition Department
Phone
General support line
Deceased-member IRA matters, IRA Team
Deceased-member trust and estate accounts
Payment Protection Plan / credit life claims
Mortgage Loss Mitigation
Fax
Mailing address
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