What to do when an Ent CU account holder dies
Report the death to Ent CU's Deceased Account Representatives at 1-800-525-9623
Ent CU merged into Wings CUMerged, effective January 2026
Ent Credit Union and Minnesota-based Wings Credit Union completed a merger of equals effective January 1, 2026. Wings members voted to adopt ENT'S charter, so Ent's charter (NCUA 68671, chartered 1957) survived and was renamed — the NCUA Locator now shows charter 68671 as "WINGS," Active, a Colorado state charter. Ent continues doing business as Ent Credit Union at its Colorado service centers while the brand transitions; ent.com page titles now read "Wings Credit Union, previously Ent," the Membership Service Agreement (Rev. 07/13/2026) defines "we, us, our and credit union" as Wings Credit Union throughout, and wingsco.com 301s to ent.com. Existing account numbers, checks, cards, POD/beneficiary designations, and trust account titling remain unchanged, and no service centers close as a result of the merger; full systems integration is expected to take until 2028. Share-insurance note published on every ent.com page: a member holding both legacy Ent and legacy Wings Financial share accounts will have those accounts treated as one account after June 30, 2026, insured to a maximum of $250,000 under NCUA share insurance — an executor totalling a decedent's balances across both legacy institutions should check the combined insured figure rather than assuming separate coverage.
When a member of Ent CU passes away, the Deceased Account Representatives 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.
Death claim process
The death claim process at Ent CU works as follows:
Filing a claim
- Call 800-525-9623 (Monday-Friday 7 AM to 6 PM, Saturday 8 AM to 4 PM Mountain Time) and ask for a Deceased Account Representative
- Visit any Ent service center in person
- Mail written notification to Ent Credit Union, P.O. Box 15819, Colorado Springs, CO 80935-5819
- Payable-on-death beneficiary: ID and the death certificate
- Successor trustee: the Affidavit of Trust or Certificate of Trust, and the trustee's ID
- Personal representative: Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration, or a completed Colorado JDF 999 affidavit for a small estate
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID, for each beneficiary or claimant
- All affected account numbers
- Signed, notarized letter requesting the beneficiary's share of the payout, if the beneficiary cannot visit a service center in person
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration, when the account has no payable-on-death designation and no joint owner
- Colorado JDF 999 Collection of Personal Property by Affidavit, in place of Letters, for a small estate
- Credit Union Affidavit of Trust, Certificate of Trust or other trust documentation, when a trust or successor trustee is designatedWith identification for the successor trustee.
- Estate TIN, to establish an Estate Account
What happens to each kind of account7
- Joint account with survivorship
All multiple party (joint) accounts carry rights of survivorship, so the deceased owner's interest passes to the surviving owners. A will cannot change that right of survivorship.1
- Payable-on-death account
A single-owner account with a payable-on-death designation is payable to the named and surviving beneficiary designated on the Signature Card.1
Where an account is payable to more than one beneficiary, the beneficiaries own it jointly without rights of survivorship, so each beneficiary's share is claimed separately.1
- Trust account
A single-owner account with a trust designation is payable to the successor trustee designated on the Signature Card, Affidavit of Trust or other trust documentation on file with Ent.1
- Account in one name
An account in one name with no payable-on-death designation and no joint owner passes to the estate. The personal representative provides Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration, or a Colorado JDF 999 affidavit for a small estate.1
- Fiduciary account
An Estate Account may be opened if the deceased person or the personal representative has had a relationship with Ent for the past six months. The estate must have a TIN, and the personal representative completes every transaction in that capacity.1
- Certificate of deposit
The disclosure says "We may waive the penalty in certain circumstances such as death of owner." The waiver on the owner's death is at Ent's discretion, not automatic.2
Without a waiver, the early withdrawal penalty is 90 days' dividends on terms of one year or less, 180 days on terms over one year and under 36 months, and 365 days on terms of 36 months or more, taken from principal if dividends are short.2
- IRA
Open IRA certificates and IRA savings accounts are handled by the Certificates & IRA Department and pass under the IRA beneficiary designation, not under a payable-on-death designation or a will.1
What Ent CU's agreement and guidance say3
- Telling the institution
Under normal circumstances, Ent may continue to honor all transfers, withdrawals, deposits, checks and other transactions on the account until it is notified of the death.1
- Payments after the death
Once notified of the death, Ent may pay checks or honor other payments or transfer orders the deceased member authorized for ten days, unless a person claiming an interest in the account tells Ent to stop payment.1
- Indemnity a claimant may have to give
Ent can require an indemnity from anyone who claims the funds in the account after the owner's death, covering any losses Ent suffers by honoring that claim.1
The personal representative of an Estate Account signs an indemnity agreement in favor of the credit union, agreeing to indemnify and hold it harmless.1
Not in Ent CU's published guidance2
- A procedure for reporting a death
- A claim form
Sources2
- 1.Membership Service Agreement, Rev. 07/13/2026
- 2.Certificate Agreement Terms and Conditions Disclosure, Rev. 07/13/2026
Joint accounts transfer immediately. POD accounts are typically processed in 2-4 weeks after the documents arrive; estate accounts may take 30-90 days.
Ent CU's Deceased Account Representatives can be reached by phone at 1-800-525-9623 for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
Data sourced from Ent CU primary sources (20 pages reviewed). How we research.
Ent CU death claims support
Deceased Account Representatives (Member Services)
Phone
Toll-free
Mortgage loan information request (fax)
Borrower payoff authorization, consumer loan or HELOC (fax)
Mortgage loan payments (mail)
Consumer loan payments (mail)
Hours
Mailing address
Website
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