How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at EECU
Covers 6 deposit, 1 hsa, 4 retirement, and 6 lending accounts — beneficiaries must be updated in-branch
Member Contact Center
EECU, 1617 W Seventh St, Fort Worth, TX 76102
Trust Services (corporate trustee and fiduciary services provided by Members Trust Company) and EECU Investment & Retirement Services (LPL Financial)
Member Contact Center (deceased-member accounts; EECU publishes no separate estate line)
EECU, 1617 W Seventh St, Fort Worth, TX 76102
Preparing your EECU accounts for estate transfer involves two key steps: designating beneficiaries on each account and, where appropriate, retitling accounts into a trust. Because EECU is a membership-based institution, trust retitling must maintain the membership eligibility requirement. Accounts with Payable on Death designations or trust ownership bypass probate entirely.
Across 17 product types, EECU accounts vary in how they transfer at death. The sections below walk through Payable on Death (POD) designations, trust funding options, and which products support each method.
Required Documents
- Trust name, date established, and tax ID (EIN or SSN)
Special Requirements
- POD designations are available on deposit accounts (savings, checking, money market, certificates) per the Account Opening Agreements & Disclosures (https://www.eecu.org/EECU/media/pdfs/OnlineAppFiles/account-opening-agreements-disclosures.pdf)
- That agreement states a POD designation is INEFFECTIVE on an Individual Retirement Account — an IRA passes only by its own beneficiary designation
- Beneficiary designations on IRA and HSA accounts supersede instructions in a will or trust
- A POD account is payable on death of the last surviving account holder to the named payees, and payment to any surviving POD payee discharges EECU from liability to the other payees
- The HSA Beneficiary Designation form requires a witness signature, and spousal consent should be considered because Texas is a community property state
- The HSA form states that if no beneficiary is named, the owner's estate becomes the beneficiary — which routes the HSA balance through Texas probate
Sources
Data sourced from EECU primary sources (32 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these EECU instructions
Download instructions for the whole estateA printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against EECU primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
Member Contact Center
EECU, 1617 W Seventh St, Fort Worth, TX 76102
Trust Services (corporate trustee and fiduciary services provided by Members Trust Company) and EECU Investment & Retirement Services (LPL Financial)
Member Contact Center (deceased-member accounts; EECU publishes no separate estate line)
EECU, 1617 W Seventh St, Fort Worth, TX 76102
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your EECU accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
Is this your situation?
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
New Baby or Adoption
Your family is growing. Your protection should too. Guardian nominations, trusts for minors, beneficiary updates, and the documents new parents need in place.
Learn more
Marriage
What married couples need in place: one joint trust or two, wills, beneficiary updates, and the spousal rights your state grants you automatically.
Learn more
New Home
How to put your house in a revocable trust: the deed you record, what it does to your mortgage and property taxes, and when a TOD deed is simpler.
Learn more
Retirement
Retirement changes your financial picture. Healthcare directives, beneficiary reviews, long-term care planning, and protecting what you've built.
Learn moreMore estate planning resources
Explore related tools and documents to complete your estate plan.
How Much Does Probate Cost?
Estimate attorney fees, executor fees, court costs, and timeline for probating an estate in your state. See if the estate qualifies for simplified probate procedures.
Who Inherits Without a Will?
Find out who inherits your estate and how much they get if you die without a will. Based on your state's intestate succession laws.
How Much Are Estate & Inheritance Taxes?
Calculate federal estate tax, state estate tax (12 states + DC), and inheritance tax (5 states) for an estate or trust.
What Does Estate Planning Actually Cost?
See the true cost of estate planning. Compare SimplyTrust, Trust & Will, LegalZoom, and attorneys including life events like marriage, divorce, and having children.
How Much Does a Revocable Living Trust Cost?
Compare the cost of creating a revocable living trust. See how SimplyTrust, Trust & Will, LegalZoom, and attorneys compare over 5 years including life events.
How Much Does a Will Cost?
Compare the cost of creating a will. See document costs plus probate fees your heirs will pay. Compare SimplyTrust, Trust & Will, LegalZoom, and attorneys.
