What to do when a Everwise account holder dies
Contact Everwise — 2-step process, 6 required documents, and pod and joint accounts processed upon verification of documents; estate accounts vary based on probate requirements. indiana small-estate affidavits require a 45-day wait from the date of death before funds can be collected
Brand change
Teachers Credit Union (TCU) rebranded to Everwise Credit Union on June 26, 2023. Same member-owned institution, same South Bend headquarters and NCUA charter (#62029); account numbers, routing number, and membership terms were unchanged by the rename. Effective June 2023.
The procedures below reflect Everwise's accounts. Account servicing may transfer as the change takes effect.
Member Services
Everwise Credit Union, PO Box 1395, South Bend, IN 46624-1395
Member Services
Everwise Credit Union, PO Box 1395, South Bend, IN 46624-1395
Member Services - Deceased Member / Estate Accounts
Everwise Credit Union, PO Box 1395, South Bend, IN 46624-1395
After a member of Everwise dies, the Member Services - Deceased Member / Estate Accounts manages the transfer of accounts. POD-designated and trust-owned accounts pass directly to beneficiaries. Accounts held solely in the member's name may require probate court documents—Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration—before funds can be released.
Everwise 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
Follow these steps to file a death claim with Everwise:
Filing a claim
- POD accounts: beneficiary provides certified death certificate and government-issued photo ID to claim funds
- Joint accounts with right of survivorship: surviving owner provides certified death certificate to remove deceased
- Non-POD/non-joint accounts: executor or administrator provides estate documents (Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration)
- Trust accounts: successor trustee provides trust document, death certificate, and trustee identification
- Investment accounts through LPL Financial: a separate claims process may apply
- Trust administration accounts: contact Everwise at 800-552-4745 to determine the claims process
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for claimant
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if no POD/joint account)
- Small-estate affidavit if the estate qualifies: Indiana allows collection by affidavit for gross probate estates of $100,000 or less for deaths after June 30, 2022 (Ind. Code 29-1-8-1; State Form 54985), after a 45-day waiting period. Michigan uses its county probate small-estate procedure on a base of $50,000 adjusted annually for inflation (MCL 700.3982/700.3983), approximately $53,000 for 2026 deaths
- Trust documents (if trust is named as beneficiary or for trust-titled accounts)
- Marriage certificate or proof of relationship (may be required)
Claims Contact
What to know at this institution
Everwise (formerly Teachers Credit Union) does not publish a standalone downloadable death-claim or estate-settlement form; the process is initiated through Member Services at 1-800-552-4745 or any branch, and required documents are submitted in person or by mail to PO Box 1395, South Bend, IN 46624-1395. Because Everwise operates only in Indiana and Michigan, estate accounts are settled under Indiana (Title 29 Probate) or Michigan (Estates and Protected Individuals Code) law. For investment accounts held through LPL Financial, a separate claims process applies; contact your Everwise Investment Services representative. For trust administration accounts through MEMBERS Trust Company, contact Everwise at 1-800-552-4745.
Prepare your letter of instruction to Everwise
Everwise accepts a claimant-drafted letter of instruction. We draft it for you — addressed to Everwise's verified claims department, with the documents it requires enclosed.
Build your letter of instructionExpected timelines at Everwise: POD and joint accounts processed upon verification of documents; estate accounts vary based on probate requirements. Indiana small-estate affidavits require a 45-day wait from the date of death before funds can be collected. Delays are almost always caused by incomplete paperwork—gathering all required documents before filing the initial claim helps avoid back-and-forth.
Documentation required by Everwise includes Certified death certificate, Government-issued photo ID for claimant, and Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if no POD/joint account), along with additional paperwork that varies by account type. All death certificates and court documents must be certified copies.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Teachers Credit Union (TCU), founded in 1931 in South Bend, Indiana, officially rebranded as Everwise Credit Union on June 26, 2023. The rebrand reflected expanded membership beyond educators and a broader mission. Ownership remained 100% member-owned, headquarters remained in South Bend, and existing accounts, routing numbers, and membership terms were unchanged. Everwise is Indiana's largest credit union with over $5 billion in assets and nearly 300,000 members. For an executor, the practical consequence is that a TCU-era passbook, certificate, or beneficiary card is still a valid Everwise record and is claimed through Everwise Member Services at 1-800-552-4745 -- there is no separate successor institution to track down.
Yes. The June 2023 rename from Teachers Credit Union to Everwise Credit Union was a brand change only, not a merger or change of legal entity, so payable-on-death beneficiary designations, joint ownership, and trust titling recorded under the TCU name carry over unchanged. Your account numbers and membership were not affected. Because a rename is a good prompt to confirm your records, you can verify or update a beneficiary designation by calling Member Services at 1-800-552-4745 or by visiting any Everwise branch.
If a deposit account has no payable-on-death beneficiary and no surviving joint owner, it becomes part of the estate. Everwise operates only in Indiana and Michigan, so settlement follows one of those states. Indiana allows collection by a small-estate affidavit (State Form 54985) when the gross probate estate is $100,000 or less for deaths after June 30, 2022, after a 45-day waiting period from the date of death (Ind. Code 29-1-8-1). Michigan uses its county probate small-estate procedure on a $50,000 statutory base adjusted annually for inflation (approximately $53,000 for 2026 deaths). Larger or contested estates require Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from the probate court. Call Member Services at 1-800-552-4745 for the documents Everwise needs.
Everwise's Member Services - Deceased Member / Estate Accounts can be reached by phone at 1-800-552-4745 for questions throughout the claims process.
When the deceased had multiple Everwise accounts, some may need separate claims while others can be handled together. The Member Services - Deceased Member / Estate Accounts can clarify what's needed for each account type.
Sources
Data sourced from Everwise primary sources (24 pages reviewed). How we research.
Member Services
Everwise Credit Union, PO Box 1395, South Bend, IN 46624-1395
Member Services
Everwise Credit Union, PO Box 1395, South Bend, IN 46624-1395
Member Services - Deceased Member / Estate Accounts
Everwise Credit Union, PO Box 1395, South Bend, IN 46624-1395
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