What to do when a East West Bank account holder dies
Contact East West Bank's Wealth Management — 9-step process, 5 required documents, and varies based on account type and documentation; pod claims may be processed faster than probate claims
Phone1-888-895-5650
24-Hour Automated Banking (Domestic)
24-Hour Automated Banking (International)
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Death Claims
Phone1-888-895-5650
Toll-Free1-888-895-5650
Mailing Address
East West Bank, 135 N. Los Robles Ave., 7th Floor, Pasadena, CA 91101
Mortgage Servicing
Verified Feb 2026
When a East West Bank account holder passes away, the next step depends on how the accounts were set up. Accounts with beneficiary designations or trust ownership transfer outside of probate. Accounts titled solely in the deceased's name require the estate's legal representative to work with East West Bank's Wealth Management (1-888-895-5650) to access and distribute the funds.
Gather the account holder's full name, date of birth, and any known account or policy numbers before contacting East West Bank. A certified death certificate is the primary document required to start any claim.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
Here is the step-by-step death claim process at East West Bank:
Filing a claim
1Contact East West Bank customer service at 1-888-895-5650 or visit a local branch as soon as possible after the death
2Provide the deceased account holder's name, account number(s), and date of death
3Submit a certified death certificate
4Individual accounts are typically frozen to prevent unauthorized transactions
5Joint accounts with right of survivorship generally remain accessible to the surviving account holder
6For POD accounts: beneficiary provides certified death certificate and valid government-issued ID to claim funds
7For trust accounts: successor trustee provides death certificate, trust document, and trustee ID
8For accounts without POD, trust, or survivorship: executor or administrator provides Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from probate court
9Complete any required claim forms provided by the bank
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for beneficiary, trustee, or estate representative
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if no POD, trust, or joint survivorship)
- Trust document and trustee identification (for trust accounts)
- Small Estate Affidavit (if eligible under state law)
POD account funds pass directly to named beneficiaries without probate. Trust account funds pass to beneficiaries upon death of the last surviving trustee. A beneficiary may not withdraw funds from a trust account before all trustees are deceased. Multilingual service available in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Spanish.
Mortgage and home lending
Mortgages and home equity loans are liabilities, not assets. They do not have beneficiaries and cannot be retitled to a trust. When a borrower dies, the loan obligation transfers with the property to whoever inherits it. Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Act, the lender cannot accelerate the loan or call it due when the property transfers to a surviving spouse, child, or the borrower's revocable trust.
1Notify East West Bank of the borrower's death by calling Mortgage Servicing at 1-877-392-6868 or general customer service at 1-888-895-5650
2Provide the deceased borrower's full legal name, Social Security number, and loan number
3Submit a certified copy of the death certificate
4Request the Successor in Interest documentation package from the mortgage servicing department
5Complete and return the Successor in Interest documentation with proof of your ownership interest in the property (e.g., probated will, court order, deed, or trust document)
6East West Bank will review your documentation and confirm your status as a Successor in Interest
7Once confirmed, you will have access to loan information and can discuss options: continue making payments, apply for loss mitigation, assume the loan, refinance, or pay off the balance
8Continue making monthly mortgage payments during the review process to avoid default
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for the heir or personal representative
- Completed Successor in Interest documentation (obtained from Mortgage Servicing)
- Documentation proving ownership interest in the property: probated will, court order, recorded deed, or trust document
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if going through probate)
- Marriage certificate (if surviving spouse)
Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act (12 U.S.C. 1701j-3), East West Bank cannot enforce a due-on-sale clause when the property transfers to a surviving spouse, child, relative upon death, or the borrower's revocable living trust. Confirmed Successors in Interest are treated as borrowers under CFPB mortgage servicing rules and are entitled to account information and loss mitigation options. General customer service: 1-888-895-5650. Multilingual service available in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Spanish.
Processing timelines at East West Bank: Varies based on account type and documentation; POD claims may be processed faster than probate claims. Incomplete documentation is the most common cause of delays—submitting all required documents with the initial claim helps avoid additional processing time.
East West Bank requires several documents to process a claim, including Certified death certificate, Government-issued photo ID for beneficiary, trustee, or estate representative, and Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if no POD, trust, or joint survivorship), 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 an East West Bank branch to complete a POD (Payable on Death) beneficiary designation form. You will need to provide the beneficiary's full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, relationship, and address. POD designations are available for checking, savings, CDs, and money market accounts. Online beneficiary designation is not currently available.
Call customer service at 1-888-895-5650 or visit a local branch as soon as possible. Bring a certified death certificate and your government-issued ID. Individual accounts are typically frozen pending legal documentation. Joint accounts with right of survivorship generally remain accessible to the surviving account holder.
When a POD account holder dies, the named beneficiary can claim the funds by presenting a certified death certificate and valid government-issued ID at any East West Bank branch. POD funds pass directly to the beneficiary without going through probate. If there is more than one beneficiary, each receives an equal share unless the bank has other specific written instructions on file.
When the last surviving trustee dies, ownership of the trust account passes to the trust beneficiaries according to the trust terms. A beneficiary may not withdraw funds before all trustees are deceased. The successor trustee should contact East West Bank at 1-888-895-5650 or visit a branch with a certified death certificate, the trust document, and trustee identification.
For POD beneficiaries: a certified death certificate and government-issued photo ID. For joint account survivors: a certified death certificate. For trust successor trustees: the death certificate, trust document, and trustee ID. For estate representatives without POD or trust: Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from probate court, a death certificate, and ID.
East West Bank's Death Claims can be reached by phone at 1-888-895-5650 and email at talk2us@eastwestbank.com for questions throughout the claims process.
If the deceased held multiple East West Bank accounts, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The Wealth Management can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.
Phone1-888-895-5650
24-Hour Automated Banking (Domestic)
24-Hour Automated Banking (International)
WebsiteLearn more →
Death Claims
Phone1-888-895-5650
Toll-Free1-888-895-5650
Mailing Address
East West Bank, 135 N. Los Robles Ave., 7th Floor, Pasadena, CA 91101
Mortgage Servicing
Verified Feb 2026
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