What to do when a Ent CU account holder dies

Contact Ent CU's Member Services — 7-step process, 8 required documents, and joint (multiple party) accounts transfer immediately through rights of survivorship. pod accounts are typically processed within 2-4 weeks after receipt of required documentation. estate accounts requiring probate documentation may take 30-90 days.

Brand change

Ent Credit Union and Minnesota-based Wings Credit Union completed a merger of equals effective January 1, 2026. Ent has officially changed its name to Wings Credit Union and continues doing business as Ent Credit Union at its Colorado service centers while the brand transitions (the current Membership Service Agreement, Rev. 07/13/2026, is footed "2026 Wings"). 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. Share-insurance note published on ent.com: 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. Effective January 2026.

The procedures below reflect Ent CU's accounts. Account servicing may transfer as the change takes effect.

Ent CU

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ent.com
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Mailing Address

Ent Credit Union, P.O. Box 15819, Colorado Springs, CO 80935-5819

Investment Services (LPL Financial)
Investment Services (toll-free)
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Member Services

Mailing Address

Ent Credit Union, P.O. Box 15819, Colorado Springs, CO 80935-5819

Deceased Account Representatives (Member Services)

Mailing Address

Ent Credit Union, P.O. Box 15819, Colorado Springs, CO 80935-5819

Mortgage loan information request (fax)
Borrower payoff authorization, consumer loan or HELOC (fax)
Verified Jul 2026

When a member of Ent CU passes away, the Deceased Account Representatives (Member Services) 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.

Ent CU offers an online claims portal that makes the initial filing process more straightforward. Survivors can also initiate claims by phone or by mailing documentation directly.

Death claim process

The death claim process at Ent CU works as follows:

Filing a claim

1
Notify Ent of the account holder's death through any available channel (see https://www.ent.com/contact-us/):
  • 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
2
Provide a certified copy of the death certificate along with all affected account numbers
3
A Deceased Account Representative conducts a required review of the decedent's accounts and determines the adjustments and distribution needed to settle them
4
Ent reviews the account type and ownership structure to determine the distribution path (Membership Service Agreement, Rev. 07/13/2026, Sections 2, 3.a, 3.d):
  • Multiple party (joint) accounts: all multiple party accounts carry rights of survivorship, so the deceased owner's interest passes to the surviving owner(s); that right of survivorship cannot be changed by a Last Will and Testament
  • Single-owner accounts with a POD or trust designation: the account is payable to the named and surviving POD beneficiary or Successor Trustee designated on the Signature Card, Affidavit of Trust, or other trust documentation on file with Ent
  • Where an account is payable to more than one beneficiary, the beneficiaries own it jointly WITHOUT rights of survivorship
  • Single-owner accounts with no POD and no joint owner: the interest passes to the decedent's estate, and the Personal Representative provides Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (or, for a qualifying small estate, Colorado's Collection of Personal Property by Affidavit, JDF 999)
5
Once notified of death, Ent may pay checks or honor other payments or transfer orders authorized by the deceased member for ten (10) days unless a person claiming an interest in the account instructs Ent to stop payment (Membership Service Agreement Section 22, Death of Account Owner)
6
Expect to sign an indemnity: under Section 22 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
7
For estate accounts: an Estate Account may be established if either the deceased person or the Personal Representative has had a relationship with Ent for the past six (6) months; the Estate must have a TIN, all transactions must be completed by the Personal Representative in their representative capacity, and the Personal Representative signs an indemnity agreement in favor of the credit union (Section 3.e)

Required Documents

  • Certified copy of the death certificate
  • Government-issued photo ID for each beneficiary or claimant
  • All affected account numbers
  • Signed, notarized letter from the beneficiary requesting their 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 POD designation and no joint owner)
  • Colorado JDF 999 Collection of Personal Property by Affidavit (alternative to Letters for a qualifying small estate under C.R.S. § 15-12-1201)
  • Credit Union Affidavit of Trust, Certificate of Trust, or other trust documentation plus Successor Trustee identification (when a trust or Successor Trustee is designated)
  • Estate TIN (for establishing an Estate Account)

What to know at this 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. Once notified, Ent may pay checks or honor other payments or transfer orders authorized by the deceased member for ten (10) days unless a person claiming an interest in the account instructs Ent to stop payment (Membership Service Agreement, Rev. 07/13/2026, Section 22). Ent can also require an indemnity from anyone who claims the funds after death, and the Personal Representative of an Estate Account separately agrees to indemnify and hold the credit union harmless. If a beneficiary cannot visit a service center in person, Ent requires a signed, notarized letter requesting their share of the beneficiary payout. Where an account names more than one beneficiary, those beneficiaries own it jointly WITHOUT rights of survivorship, so each beneficiary's share is claimed separately. No early withdrawal penalty is imposed on certificates upon the death of the owner if there are no other joint owners. Open IRA certificates and IRA savings accounts are handled by the Certificates & IRA Department and pass under the IRA beneficiary designation, not under a POD designation or a will. Ent's Survivor Resource Guide PDF is no longer published on ent.com (the old URL now redirects to the contact page); reach Ent's Deceased Account Representatives through 800-525-9623 or any service center (https://www.ent.com/contact-us/).

Download instructions for the whole estate

Prepare your letter of instruction to Ent CU

Ent CU accepts a claimant-drafted letter of instruction. We draft it for you — addressed to Ent CU's verified claims department, with the documents it requires enclosed.

Build your letter of instruction

Processing timelines at Ent CU: Joint (multiple party) accounts transfer immediately through rights of survivorship. POD accounts are typically processed within 2-4 weeks after receipt of required documentation. Estate accounts requiring probate documentation may take 30-90 days. Incomplete documentation is the most common cause of delays—submitting all required documents with the initial claim helps avoid additional processing time.

Ent CU requires several documents to process a claim, including Certified copy of the death certificate, Government-issued photo ID for each beneficiary or claimant, and All affected account numbers, 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

You will need a certified copy of the death certificate, government-issued photo ID for each beneficiary or claimant, and all affected account numbers. If the account had no POD beneficiary and no joint owner, you will also need Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from the probate court (or a completed Colorado JDF 999 affidavit for a qualifying small estate). If a trust or Successor Trustee is designated, bring the Credit Union Affidavit of Trust or Certificate of Trust and trustee identification. Beneficiaries who cannot visit a service center in person must provide a signed, NOTARIZED letter requesting their share of the payout. Ent routes these matters to Deceased Account Representatives: call 800-525-9623 (Monday-Friday 7 AM to 6 PM, Saturday 8 AM to 4 PM Mountain Time), visit any service center (https://www.ent.com/contact-us/), or write to Ent Credit Union, P.O. Box 15819, Colorado Springs, CO 80935-5819. Ent may also require an indemnity from anyone claiming the funds after death (Membership Service Agreement Section 22).

Possibly. When an Ent deposit account has no POD beneficiary and no surviving joint owner, the funds pass to the decedent's estate. If the decedent's entire estate of personal property (including all bank and credit union accounts) is worth $88,000 or less in 2026 and at least ten days have passed since the death, a successor may use Colorado's Collection of Personal Property by Affidavit (Colorado JDF 999) under C.R.S. § 15-12-1201 to collect the account without formal probate, instead of presenting Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration. Ent still requires a certified copy of the death certificate and government-issued photo ID. The affidavit threshold is adjusted for inflation each year. Adding a POD beneficiary or retitling the account into a trust avoids this question entirely.

Ent CU's Deceased Account Representatives (Member Services) can be reached by phone at 1-800-525-9623 for questions throughout the claims process.

If the deceased held multiple Ent CU accounts, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The Deceased Account Representatives (Member Services) can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.

SimplyTrustSimplyTrust Editorial·

Sources

Data sourced from Ent CU primary sources (19 pages reviewed). How we research.

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