What to do when a ESL Federal CU account holder dies
Contact ESL Federal CU's ESL Trust Services — 12-step process, 9 required documents, and varies by account type and complexity; the customer case specialist team works with you to complete the process efficiently
Phone585-336-1000
Toll-Free1-800-848-2265
Fax585-336-1138
Mailing Address
ESL Federal Credit Union, P.O. Box 92714, Rochester, NY 14692-8814
WebsiteLearn more →
ESL Trust Services
Phone585-336-1300
Mailing Address
225 Chestnut Street, Rochester, NY 14604
WebsiteLearn more →
Customer Case Specialist Team
Phone585-336-1599
Emaildepositops@esl.org
Fax585-336-1283
Mailing Address
ESL Federal Credit Union, 225 Chestnut Street, Rochester, NY 14604
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Verified Mar 2026
When a ESL Federal CU member passes away, the ESL Trust 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.
ESL Federal CU provides an online portal for initiating death claims, which can simplify the initial notification and document submission process. Claims can also be started by phone or by mailing the required documents.
Death claim process
Here is the step-by-step death claim process at ESL Federal CU:
Filing a claim
1Contact the dedicated Customer Case Specialist team at 585-336-1599 or email depositops@esl.org
2You may also call the main line at 585-336-1000 or 800-848-2265, or visit any full-service branch
3Provide a copy of the member's death certificate
4The Customer Case Specialist reviews the deceased's full relationship with ESL (accounts, loans, and services)
5The specialist explains the necessary steps and works with you to complete the settlement process
6ESL may open estate accounts from existing checking and savings products for authorized individuals to manage the deceased's finances during probate
7For joint accounts with right of survivorship: the surviving owner retains access to the account
8For POD beneficiary accounts: funds are disbursed to the then-living POD beneficiaries upon presentation of the death certificate and proper identification
9For accounts without POD or joint ownership: provide Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from the probate court
10For IRA accounts: beneficiaries must complete IRA distribution paperwork per the IRA agreement
11For trust accounts: the successor trustee provides trust documentation and the death certificate to assume management
12Additional documentation (Letters Testamentary, tax ID numbers, executor identification) may be required depending on the situation
Required Documents
- Copy of the member's death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for claimant
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (for estate representative, if applicable)
- Tax ID number for the estate (if applicable)
- Small estate affidavit (if applicable under New York law)
- Certificates of Voluntary Administration (if applicable)
- 1310 Affidavit (if applicable)
- Trust documentation (if successor trustee is claiming trust accounts)
- IRA beneficiary distribution forms (for retirement accounts)
ESL provides a "Saying Goodbye" resource booklet (available for download at esl.org and at branches) to help families through the settlement process. The dedicated Customer Case Specialist team handles all aspects of deceased member account settlement. ESL can open estate accounts from existing checking and savings products (Free Checking, Premier Checking, Money Maker, Premier Money Maker) for managing the deceased's finances during probate. ESL Trust Services, LLC can serve as corporate trustee or executor for estate settlement; contact Trust Services at 585-336-1300.
Processing timelines at ESL Federal CU: Varies by account type and complexity; the Customer Case Specialist team works with you to complete the process efficiently. Incomplete documentation is the most common cause of delays—submitting all required documents with the initial claim helps avoid additional processing time.
ESL Federal CU requires several documents to process a claim, including Copy of the member's death certificate, Government-issued photo ID for claimant, and Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (for estate representative, if applicable), 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
Contact ESL at 585-336-1000 or 800-848-2265, or visit any full-service branch to request a POD beneficiary designation form. Complete the form with the beneficiary's full legal name and identifying information. POD designations are available on deposit accounts including checking, savings, money maker, and certificate accounts. IRA and HSA accounts use separate beneficiary designation processes.
Contact the Customer Case Specialist team at 585-336-1599 or email depositops@esl.org. You may also call the main line at 585-336-1000 or 800-848-2265, or visit any full-service branch. Provide a copy of the death certificate. The specialist reviews all accounts, loans, and services and works with you through the settlement process. For joint accounts with survivorship, the surviving owner retains access. For POD accounts, funds pass to the named beneficiaries. ESL provides a "Saying Goodbye" resource booklet to help families through the process.
For joint accounts with right of survivorship, the surviving owner retains full access to the account and the deceased owner's interest passes to the survivor. For accounts requiring probate, the estate representative must provide Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from the court.
ESL Federal CU's Customer Case Specialist Team can be reached by phone at 585-336-1599, email at depositops@esl.org, and fax at 585-336-1283 for questions throughout the claims process.
If the deceased held multiple ESL Federal CU accounts, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The ESL Trust Services can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.
Phone585-336-1000
Toll-Free1-800-848-2265
Fax585-336-1138
Mailing Address
ESL Federal Credit Union, P.O. Box 92714, Rochester, NY 14692-8814
WebsiteLearn more →
ESL Trust Services
Phone585-336-1300
Mailing Address
225 Chestnut Street, Rochester, NY 14604
WebsiteLearn more →
Customer Case Specialist Team
Phone585-336-1599
Emaildepositops@esl.org
Fax585-336-1283
Mailing Address
ESL Federal Credit Union, 225 Chestnut Street, Rochester, NY 14604
WebsiteNotify online →
Verified Mar 2026
Tools for settling a ESL Federal CU estate
Calculators and checklists to help navigate estate settlement after a ESL Federal CU account holder passes away.
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