What to do when an EECU account holder dies
Report the death to EECU's Member Contact Center at 1-817-882-0800
After a member of EECU dies, the Member Contact Center manages the transfer of accounts. POD-designated and trust-owned accounts pass directly to beneficiaries. Accounts held solely in the member's name may require probate court documents—Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration—before funds can be released.
Death claim process
Follow these steps to file a death claim with EECU:
Filing a claim
- Call the Member Contact Center at (817) 882-0800
- Visit any EECU financial center in person (locations)
What happens to each kind of account8
- Account in one name
A single-party account passes to the member's estate, or to the POD beneficiary. An account with no POD payee, joint owner or trust passes to the estate and needs probate documentation.1
- Joint account with survivorship
A multiple-party account with right of survivorship vests in the surviving party on the date of death, and the surviving joint owner keeps full access to the account.1
- Payable-on-death account
The funds pass to the surviving POD payees on the death of the last surviving account holder. Payment to any one of them discharges EECU from liability to the rest.1
- Trust account
On the death of the last surviving trustee, a trust account passes to the trust beneficiary outside the trustee's will or intestacy. EECU releases trust funds on the signature of any trustee or successor trustee.1
- Fiduciary account
A personal representative who needs an estate account can open a fiduciary account at EECU. The agreement provides for accounts opened by an executor, administrator, guardian or conservator under court orders, and EECU does not thereby take on any fiduciary duty.1
- IRA
A POD designation is ineffective on an IRA.1
IRA funds are distributed to the designated IRA beneficiaries, or to the estate if no beneficiary is named.2
- Health savings account
HSA funds pass to the named HSA beneficiary, or to the estate if none is named.2
- Loan
EECU checks whether the member had Credit Life & Disability payment protection on an EECU loan and files a claim if it applies.2
State law on paying a balance without lettersTexas
- 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.
What EECU's agreement and guidance say3
- What it does when notified
EECU restricts withdrawals once it has notice of the death of a person with a right of withdrawal.1
The same Transaction Limitations clause lets EECU freeze an account where there is a dispute between owners, where required documentation has not been presented, or where the account secures an unpaid EECU loan.1
- Debts owed to the institution
EECU has a lien and security interest in savings, checking, club, certificate, money market, POD, revocable trust and custodial balances for any debt owed to it, such as an EECU auto loan, personal loan or credit card balance. IRA funds are excluded.1
An EECU loan or credit card balance can be offset against the deposit before funds are released.1
- Dormant and unclaimed accounts
An account becomes inactive after one year with no member-initiated debit or credit and no communication, and is presumed abandoned after three years. EECU then reports it and pays the funds to the State of Texas, and the money has to be reclaimed from the state comptroller.1
Not in EECU's published guidance4
- A department for deceased-customer accounts
- A claim form
- A procedure for reporting a death
- A list of required documents
EECU's Member Contact Center can be reached by phone at 1-817-882-0800 and email at service@eecu.org for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
Data sourced from EECU primary sources (32 pages reviewed). How we research.
EECU death claims support
Member Contact Center
Phone
Hours
Mailing address
Website
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