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Home→Financial Institutions→First Hawaiian→When someone dies

What to do when a First Hawaiian account holder dies

Contact First Hawaiian's Wealth Management - Personal Trusts — 9-step process, 6 required documents, and varies based on account type and documentation. accounts with pod beneficiaries or joint ownership may be resolved more quickly. probated estates depend on court timelines.

First Hawaiian

Subsidiary of First Hawaiian, Inc. (NASDAQ: FHB)

fhb.com →
F

Customer Service

Phone1-808-844-4444
Toll-Free1-888-844-4444
Mailing Address

First Hawaiian Bank, PO Box 3200, Honolulu, HI 96847

Online Banking Support
1-808-643-4343
Online Banking Toll-Free
1-888-643-4343
WebsiteLearn more →

Wealth Management - Personal Trusts

Phone1-808-525-7134
Toll-Free1-888-287-0398
First Hawaiian Advisors
1-808-525-5159
Trust Retirement Benefits
1-808-525-7755
WebsiteLearn more →

Death Claims

Phone1-808-844-4444
Toll-Free1-888-844-4444
Mailing Address

First Hawaiian Bank, PO Box 3200, Honolulu, HI 96847

Wealth Management / Personal Trusts
1-808-525-7134
Trust Toll-Free
1-888-287-0398
Mortgage Service
1-808-844-4178
Mortgage Toll-Free
1-800-362-7606
WebsiteNotify online →
Verified Mar 2026

When a First Hawaiian 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 First Hawaiian's Wealth Management - Personal Trusts (1-808-844-4444) to access and distribute the funds.

First Hawaiian 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 First Hawaiian:

Filing a claim

1Contact First Hawaiian Bank customer service at (808) 844-4444 or toll-free (888) 844-4444, or visit any branch to report the death of an account holder
2Provide a certified copy of the death certificate
3Provide government-issued photo ID for the person making the claim
4If the account has a POD/"in trust for" beneficiary designation, the named beneficiary can claim the funds upon providing the death certificate and ID
5If the account is jointly held with right of survivorship, the surviving account holder retains access after providing the death certificate
6If the account is held in a trust, the successor trustee listed in the trust agreement takes control by presenting the trust document and death certificate
7If none of the above apply, the estate must go through probate and the executor/administrator must provide Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from the court
8Complete any required claim or distribution forms provided by the bank
9For wealth management and trust accounts, contact the Wealth Management division at (808) 525-7134 or toll-free 1-888-287-0398

Required Documents

  • Certified copy of the death certificate
  • Government-issued photo ID for the claimant
  • Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if probate is required)
  • Trust agreement (if account is held in trust)
  • Small Estate Affidavit (if estate qualifies under Hawaii law -- Hawaii Rev. Stat. 560:3-1201 for estates under $100,000)
  • Proof of relationship to the deceased (if applicable)

First Hawaiian Bank does not publish a dedicated estate services or death notification page. Contact general customer service at (808) 844-4444 or toll-free (888) 844-4444, available 7 days a week from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM HST. For trust and wealth management accounts, contact the Wealth Management division at (808) 525-7134 or toll-free 1-888-287-0398. For mortgage-related death claims, contact First Hawaiian Bank's mortgage department at (808) 844-4178 or toll-free (800) 362-7606.

Processing timelines at First Hawaiian: Varies based on account type and documentation. Accounts with POD beneficiaries or joint ownership may be resolved more quickly. Probated estates depend on court timelines.. Incomplete documentation is the most common cause of delays—submitting all required documents with the initial claim helps avoid additional processing time.

First Hawaiian requires several documents to process a claim, including Certified copy of the death certificate, Government-issued photo ID for the claimant, and Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if probate is required), 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 any First Hawaiian Bank branch with your government-issued photo ID to add a Payable on Death (POD) or "in trust for" beneficiary designation to your deposit account. Provide the beneficiary's full legal name, relationship, and contact details. The beneficiary does not need to be present. This designation is not available through online banking.

If the account has a named POD/"in trust for" beneficiary, the beneficiary can claim the funds by providing a certified death certificate and government-issued ID at any branch. If the account is jointly held with right of survivorship, the surviving account holder retains full access after providing the death certificate. If the account is held in a trust, the successor trustee takes control. If none of these apply, the account goes through probate and requires Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from the court.

Contact First Hawaiian Bank customer service at (808) 844-4444 or toll-free (888) 844-4444, available 7 days a week from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM HST. You can also visit any branch. For trust and wealth management accounts, contact the Wealth Management division at (808) 525-7134 or toll-free 1-888-287-0398. For mortgage accounts, contact the mortgage service line at (808) 844-4178 or toll-free (800) 362-7606.

The mortgage obligation does not disappear at death. Heirs who inherit the property also inherit the mortgage. Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Act (12 U.S.C. 1701j-3), the lender cannot call the loan due or accelerate payments when the property transfers to a surviving spouse, child, or the borrower's revocable trust. Contact the First Hawaiian Bank mortgage service line at (808) 844-4178 or toll-free (800) 362-7606 to discuss options including continued payments, loan assumption, refinancing, or payoff.

First Hawaiian's Death Claims can be reached by phone at 1-888-844-4444 for questions throughout the claims process.

If the deceased held multiple First Hawaiian accounts, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The Wealth Management - Personal Trusts can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.

First Hawaiian

Subsidiary of First Hawaiian, Inc. (NASDAQ: FHB)

fhb.com →
F

Customer Service

Phone1-808-844-4444
Toll-Free1-888-844-4444
Mailing Address

First Hawaiian Bank, PO Box 3200, Honolulu, HI 96847

Online Banking Support
1-808-643-4343
Online Banking Toll-Free
1-888-643-4343
WebsiteLearn more →

Wealth Management - Personal Trusts

Phone1-808-525-7134
Toll-Free1-888-287-0398
First Hawaiian Advisors
1-808-525-5159
Trust Retirement Benefits
1-808-525-7755
WebsiteLearn more →

Death Claims

Phone1-808-844-4444
Toll-Free1-888-844-4444
Mailing Address

First Hawaiian Bank, PO Box 3200, Honolulu, HI 96847

Wealth Management / Personal Trusts
1-808-525-7134
Trust Toll-Free
1-888-287-0398
Mortgage Service
1-808-844-4178
Mortgage Toll-Free
1-800-362-7606
WebsiteNotify online →
Verified Mar 2026

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SimplyTrust is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice, legal counsel, or attorney review. Information on this platform is for general informational purposes only. Use of SimplyTrust does not create an attorney-client relationship. You are solely responsible for all documents you create. For advice tailored to your circumstances, consult a licensed attorney in your state.

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