What to do when a F&M Bank account holder dies
Contact F&M Bank's Personal Banking Services — 5-step process, 7 required documents, and 5-10 business days after all documentation is received, though complex estates may take longer
Customer Service
Farmers & Merchants Bank, 302 Pine Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90802
Personal Banking Services
Farmers & Merchants Bank, 302 Pine Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90802
Personal Banking Services
Farmers & Merchants Bank, 302 Pine Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90802
After an account holder at F&M Bank dies, accounts with beneficiary designations or trust ownership transfer to the designated recipients without probate. Solely-owned accounts require the estate's representative to contact F&M Bank's Personal Banking Services at 1-877-700-2265 with the proper legal authority documents.
F&M Bank 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.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
Here is the step-by-step death claim process at F&M Bank:
Filing a claim
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Valid government-issued photo ID for the claimant
- For accounts with POD beneficiary: provide the death certificate and beneficiary ID to claim funds directly
- For joint accounts with right of survivorship: provide the death certificate; surviving owner retains access to the account
- For accounts without beneficiary or survivorship: obtain Letters Testamentary, Letters of Administration, or a Small Estate Affidavit from the court and provide along with the executor or administrator's ID
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Valid government-issued photo ID for the claimant (beneficiary, executor, or administrator)
- Account information for the deceased (account numbers if available)
- For accounts without beneficiary: Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from the court
- For small estates: Small Estate Affidavit as permitted under California Probate Code § 13100
- For trust accounts: trust documentation including successor trustee provisions and trustee ID
- For IRA accounts: IRA beneficiary claim forms and applicable distribution election forms
Claims Contact
What to know at this institution
Visiting a local branch is the most direct way to initiate the estate settlement process. An F&M Bank team member can help open an estate account if needed to manage proceeds and pay estate obligations. California is a community property state, which may affect the disposition of jointly held or community property assets.
Mortgage and home lending
Mortgages and home equity loans are liabilities, not assets. They do not have beneficiaries and cannot be retitled to a trust. When a borrower dies, the loan obligation transfers with the property to whoever inherits it. Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Act, the lender cannot accelerate the loan or call it due when the property transfers to a surviving spouse, child, or the borrower’s revocable trust.
- Deceased borrower's full legal name, Social Security number, and loan number
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Continue making payments on the existing loan
- Assume the loan
- Refinance in your own name
- Pay off the remaining balance
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for the heir or personal representative
- Completed Successor in Interest form (obtained from mortgage servicing department)
- Documentation proving ownership interest in the property: probated will, court order, recorded deed, or trust document showing you as successor trustee or beneficiary
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if going through probate)
- Marriage certificate (if surviving spouse)
What to know at this institution
Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act (12 U.S.C. § 1701j-3), F&M Bank cannot enforce a due-on-sale clause when the property transfers to a surviving spouse, child, relative upon death, or the borrower's revocable living trust. Confirmed Successors in Interest are treated as borrowers under CFPB mortgage servicing rules. Mortgage Servicing: (562) 485-3478. Home Loan Center (Loan Officers): (866) 649-3863. To pay off the loan, request a payoff statement at (562) 485-3522, or submit a written payoff/servicing request to F&M Bank Home Loan Center, PO Box 337, Lakewood, CA 90714-0337, fax (562) 344-2289. Mortgage servicing portal: https://homeloans.fmb.com/MortgageServicing.html.
Prepare your letter of instruction to F&M Bank
F&M Bank accepts a claimant-drafted letter of instruction. We draft it for you — addressed to F&M Bank's verified claims department, with the documents it requires enclosed.
Build your letter of instructionOpening an account for the estate itself
Checks made out to the estate deposit into an account titled to the estate, opened by the appointed executor or administrator under the estate's EIN.
How to open an estate account at F&M Bank →How long the process takes at F&M Bank: 5-10 business days after all documentation is received, though complex estates may take longer. The most common reason for delays is missing or incomplete documentation, so submitting everything upfront is the best way to keep things moving.
F&M Bank requires several documents to process a claim, including Certified copy of the death certificate, Valid government-issued photo ID for the claimant (beneficiary, executor, or administrator), and Account information for the deceased (account numbers if available), 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
When an account holder with a POD (Payable on Death) designation dies, the named beneficiary can claim the account funds by visiting an F&M Bank branch with a certified copy of the death certificate and a valid government-issued photo ID. POD accounts bypass the probate process and pass directly to the named beneficiary.
Visit any F&M Bank branch with a valid government-issued photo ID and ask to add a POD beneficiary to your account. You will need the beneficiary's full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, and relationship to you. You can name multiple beneficiaries with allocation percentages. POD designations can also be requested by calling 1-877-700-2265 or by mailing a signed beneficiary form to your local branch or to Farmers & Merchants Bank, 302 Pine Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90802.
Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act (12 U.S.C. § 1701j-3), F&M Bank cannot enforce a due-on-sale clause when residential property transfers to a surviving spouse, child, relative upon death, or the borrower's revocable living trust. Heirs or successor trustees should contact F&M Bank Mortgage Servicing at (562) 485-3478 to request the Successor in Interest documentation package. Confirmed Successors in Interest are treated as borrowers under CFPB mortgage servicing rules and may continue making payments, assume the loan, refinance, or pay it off.
F&M Bank does not charge a separate estate settlement fee for releasing funds to a named POD beneficiary, surviving joint owner, or successor trustee on a trust account. Standard account fees, wire fees, and certified check fees described in the bank's Schedule of Personal Account Charges may still apply. Contact your local branch or call 1-877-700-2265 for the current fee schedule.
Yes. Under California Probate Code § 13100, successors of a decedent whose total California estate (excluding real property and assets passing outside probate) does not exceed the statutory limit may collect personal property using a Small Estate Affidavit, which can be presented at least 40 days after the date of death. The successor must bring the signed affidavit, a certified death certificate, and valid photo ID to an F&M Bank branch. Real property is handled separately through Probate Code § 13200 (small estate affidavit for real property of small value) or a Petition to Determine Succession.
F&M Bank's Personal Banking Services can be reached by phone at 1-877-700-2265 for questions throughout the claims process.
Multiple F&M Bank accounts may mean multiple claims. Some account types can be processed together, but others require their own documentation. Check with the Personal Banking Services to confirm what applies.
Sources
Data sourced from F&M Bank primary sources (30 pages reviewed). How we research.
Customer Service
Farmers & Merchants Bank, 302 Pine Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90802
Personal Banking Services
Farmers & Merchants Bank, 302 Pine Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90802
Personal Banking Services
Farmers & Merchants Bank, 302 Pine Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90802
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your F&M Bank accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
Is this your situation?
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
More tools for handling this estate
Calculators and checklists for executors and trustees.
How Much Does Probate Cost?
Estimate attorney fees, executor fees, court costs, and timeline for probating an estate in your state. See if the estate qualifies for simplified probate procedures.
How Much Can an Executor Charge?
Calculate how much an executor (personal representative) can charge for administering an estate. See if your state has statutory fees or uses reasonable compensation.
Who Inherits Without a Will?
Find out who inherits your estate and how much they get if you die without a will. Based on your state's intestate succession laws.
What's Fair Trustee Compensation?
Find out what's fair compensation for serving as trustee. Compare family, professional, and corporate trustee rates based on your situation.
How Much Are Estate & Inheritance Taxes?
Calculate federal estate tax, state estate tax (12 states + DC), and inheritance tax (5 states) for an estate or trust.
How Many Death Certificates Do I Need?
Calculate how many certified death certificates you need based on the assets and accounts you need to close. See state-specific ordering information.
