What to do when a Fifth Third Bank account holder dies
Contact Fifth Third Bank's Wealth Management / Private Bank — 9-step process, 5 required documents, and 2-4 weeks for pod accounts; estate accounts may take significantly longer depending on probate complexity
Customer Service
Phone1-800-972-3030
Mailing Address
38 Fountain Square Plaza, Cincinnati, OH 45263
WebsiteLearn more →
Probate Team
Phone1-800-972-3030
Toll-Free1-800-972-3030
Fax616-653-2455
Mailing Address
Fifth Third Bank, Attn: Probate Team, 1830 East Paris Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
Probate Specialist (Loans)
Fifth Third Securities
Fifth Third Private Bank
Mortgage Servicing
Verified Feb 2026
When a Fifth Third Bank account holder passes away, the next step depends on how the accounts were set up. Accounts with beneficiary designations or trust ownership transfer outside of probate. Accounts titled solely in the deceased's name require the estate's legal representative to work with Fifth Third Bank's Wealth Management / Private Bank (1-800-972-3030) to access and distribute the funds.
Gather the account holder's full name, date of birth, and any known account or policy numbers before contacting Fifth Third Bank. A certified death certificate is the primary document required to start any claim.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
Here is the step-by-step death claim process at Fifth Third Bank:
Filing a claim
1Contact Fifth Third Bank by phone at 1-800-972-3030 or visit a local banking center to notify them of the account holder's death
2Provide the deceased account holder's name and account information
3Submit a certified copy of the death certificate
4For POD accounts: named beneficiary presents valid government-issued photo ID for direct transfer
5For non-POD accounts: executor or administrator provides Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from probate court
6For trust accounts: successor trustee provides trust documents and trustee certification
7For Fifth Third Securities accounts: call 1-800-416-8714 to initiate the claim
8Fifth Third reviews all documentation and processes the claim
9Assets are distributed per beneficiary designation, trust terms, or estate instructions
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate (original or certified copy)
- Government-issued photo ID for the claimant
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (for non-POD, non-trust accounts)
- Trust documents and trustee certification (if trust is beneficiary or account is trust-owned)
- Small estate affidavit (where applicable under state law for estates below the threshold)
There is no online portal for reporting a death. Notify the bank as soon as possible by phone or in person. For loans (mortgage, home equity, HELOC), contact the Probate Team at 1-888-795-1986 or fax documents to 616-653-2455. Fifth Third Private Bank offers full estate settlement administration services, including acting as executor, administrator, or agent of an estate. For Private Bank estate settlement services, call 1-866-488-0017. Fifth Third Private Bank has over 100 years of experience in settling estates.
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.
1Notify Fifth Third Bank of the borrower's death by calling Mortgage Servicing at 1-800-375-1745
2Provide the deceased borrower's full legal name, Social Security number, and loan number
3Submit a certified copy of the death certificate
4Request the Successor in Interest documentation package from the mortgage servicing department
5Complete and return the Successor in Interest documentation with proof of your ownership interest in the property (e.g., probated will, court order, deed, or trust document)
6Fifth Third Bank will review your documentation and confirm your status as a Successor in Interest
7Once confirmed, you will have access to loan information and can discuss options: continue making payments, apply for loss mitigation, assume the loan, refinance, or pay off the balance
8For loan assumption or transfer questions, contact 1-866-351-5353
9Continue making monthly mortgage payments during the review process to avoid default
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for the heir or personal representative
- Completed Successor in Interest documentation (obtained from Mortgage Servicing)
- Documentation proving ownership interest in the property: probated will, court order, recorded deed, or trust document
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if going through probate)
- Marriage certificate (if surviving spouse)
Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act (12 U.S.C. 1701j-3), Fifth Third 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 and are entitled to account information and loss mitigation options. Loan assumption or transfer: 1-866-351-5353. Mortgage hardship assistance: 1-800-375-1745 option 3. General customer service: 1-800-972-3030. Fifth Third Private Bank estate services: 1-866-488-0017.
Processing timelines at Fifth Third Bank: 2-4 weeks for POD accounts; estate accounts may take significantly longer depending on probate complexity. Incomplete documentation is the most common cause of delays—submitting all required documents with the initial claim helps avoid additional processing time.
Fifth Third Bank requires several documents to process a claim, including Certified death certificate (original or certified copy), Government-issued photo ID for the claimant, and Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (for non-POD, non-trust accounts), 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
Visit a Fifth Third banking center or call 1-800-972-3030 to request a Payable on Death (POD) designation form. You can name primary and contingent beneficiaries on checking, savings, money market, and CD accounts. Trusts can also be named as POD beneficiaries. There is currently no online option for adding POD designations.
If you have POD beneficiaries designated, the assets transfer directly to them upon presentation of a death certificate and valid ID. Trust-owned accounts pass to the successor trustee per the trust terms. IRA accounts transfer to the designated beneficiary. Without POD, trust, or beneficiary designations, accounts go through probate and are distributed per your will or state intestacy laws.
Call Fifth Third customer service at 1-800-972-3030 or visit a local banking center. There is no online portal for death notification. You will need to provide the deceased's name and account information along with a certified copy of the death certificate. For investment accounts through Fifth Third Securities, call 1-800-416-8714. For mortgage or loan accounts, contact the Probate Team at 1-888-795-1986 or fax documents to 616-653-2455. For estate settlement services through Fifth Third Private Bank, call 1-866-488-0017.
No. IRAs cannot be retitled to a trust. However, you can name your trust as the beneficiary of your IRA. This means upon your death, the IRA assets will be distributed according to the trust terms. Consult a tax advisor before doing this, as naming a trust instead of an individual as IRA beneficiary can affect required minimum distribution schedules.
Fifth Third Bank's Probate Team can be reached by phone at 1-800-972-3030 and fax at 616-653-2455 for questions throughout the claims process.
If the deceased held multiple Fifth Third Bank accounts, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The Wealth Management / Private Bank can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.
Customer Service
Phone1-800-972-3030
Mailing Address
38 Fountain Square Plaza, Cincinnati, OH 45263
WebsiteLearn more →
Probate Team
Phone1-800-972-3030
Toll-Free1-800-972-3030
Fax616-653-2455
Mailing Address
Fifth Third Bank, Attn: Probate Team, 1830 East Paris Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
Probate Specialist (Loans)
Fifth Third Securities
Fifth Third Private Bank
Mortgage Servicing
Verified Feb 2026
Tools for settling a Fifth Third Bank estate
Calculators and checklists to help navigate estate settlement after a Fifth Third Bank account holder passes away.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Get a personalized checklist for settling an estate after someone passes away. Covers trust administration, probate, and intestate estates.
Get Checklist
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.
Use Calculator
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.
Use Calculator
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.
Use Calculator
Do I Need Probate?
Answer a few questions to find out if an estate needs full probate, qualifies for simplified probate, or can avoid probate entirely with a small estate affidavit.
Check Now
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.
Use Calculator