What to do when a ESL Federal CU account holder dies
Contact ESL Federal CU's ESL Trust Services, LLC — 7-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
TTY
TTY (toll-free)
ESL Investment Services
WebsiteLearn more→
ESL Trust Services, LLC
Phone585-336-1300
Mailing Address
225 Chestnut Street, Rochester, NY 14604
TTY
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 Jul 2026
The ESL Trust Services, LLC at ESL Federal CU coordinates account transitions after a member's death. How each account is handled depends on its setup: POD and trust accounts transfer automatically, while solely-owned accounts typically require court authorization through Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
ESL Federal 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
Follow these steps to file a death claim with ESL Federal CU:
Filing a claim
1
Notify ESL of the death by phone, chat, or branch visit (https://www.esl.org/resources-tools/life-events/saying-goodbye):
- Dedicated Customer Case Specialist team at 585-336-1599, fax 585-336-1283, or email depositops@esl.org
- Main line at 585-336-1000 or 800-848-2265 (TTY 585-336-1399)
- Visit any full-service branch
2
Provide a copy of the member's death certificate (ESL requires this in every case; the Customer Case Specialist identifies which of the remaining documents apply to your situation)
3
The Customer Case Specialist reviews the deceased's full relationship with ESL — deposit accounts, loans, services, and ESL Investment Services accounts — before outlining settlement steps
4
The specialist explains the necessary steps and works with you to complete the settlement process
5
ESL can open an estate account using an existing deposit product (Free Checking, Premier Checking, Money Maker, or Premier Money Maker) so an authorized person can manage the deceased's finances during administration; the deceased must have been an ESL member in good standing at the time of death
6
Settlement process varies by account type:
- Joint accounts with right of survivorship: the surviving owner retains access to the account
- POD beneficiary accounts: funds are disbursed to the then-living POD beneficiaries upon presentation of the death certificate and proper identification
- Accounts without POD or joint ownership: provide Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from the New York Surrogate's Court
- New York small estates (personal property of $50,000 or less): ESL accepts a Certificate of Voluntary Administration issued under SCPA Article 13 in place of full Letters; where no fiduciary has been appointed at all, ESL asks for a prepared 1310 Affidavit (SCPA §1310 next-of-kin/distributee affidavit)
- IRA accounts: beneficiaries must complete IRA distribution paperwork per the IRA agreement
- Trust accounts: the successor trustee provides trust documentation and the death certificate to assume management
7
Additional 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)
Claims Contact
What to know at this institution
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. Per the ESL Savings and Checking Disclosure, for a sole account with no POD or joint owner, funds pass to the member's estate or heirs in accordance with applicable law; ESL may for 10 days after the date of death continue paying checks the member drew on or before death unless a person claiming an interest orders a stop payment. ESL may require anyone claiming a deceased owner's funds to indemnify the credit union against losses, and a deceased owner's accounts (including a surviving joint owner's interest) remain subject to ESL's statutory lien and right of offset for debts the deceased owed the credit union.
Prepare your letter of instruction to ESL Federal CU
ESL Federal CU asks for a letter of instruction alongside its claim form. We prepare a transmittal cover letter and the enclosure checklist ESL Federal CU requires.
Build your letter of instructionHow long the process takes at ESL Federal CU: Varies by account type and complexity; the Customer Case Specialist team works with you to complete the process efficiently. The most common reason for delays is missing or incomplete documentation, so submitting everything upfront is the best way to keep things moving.
Documentation required by ESL Federal CU includes 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), along with additional paperwork that varies by account type. All death certificates and court documents must be certified copies.
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.
For a New York estate with personal property of $50,000 or less, you generally do not need full probate. New York's small estate procedure (voluntary administration under SCPA Article 13) lets a Voluntary Administrator collect assets using an Affidavit of Voluntary Administration filed with the Surrogate's Court (a $1 filing fee). ESL's Customer Case Specialist team (585-336-1599, depositops@esl.org) will tell you whether they can release the funds on the small estate affidavit and Certificate of Voluntary Administration, or whether Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration are required. Joint accounts with right of survivorship and POD accounts pass outside this process and are not counted toward the $50,000 threshold.
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.
Multiple ESL Federal CU accounts may mean multiple claims. Some account types can be processed together, but others require their own documentation. Check with the ESL Trust Services, LLC to confirm what applies.
Sources
Data sourced from ESL Federal CU primary sources (24 pages reviewed). How we research.
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
TTY
TTY (toll-free)
ESL Investment Services
WebsiteLearn more→
ESL Trust Services, LLC
Phone585-336-1300
Mailing Address
225 Chestnut Street, Rochester, NY 14604
TTY
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 Jul 2026
Estate planning articles
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