What to do when a First National Bank account holder dies
Report the death to First National Bank's Customer Contact Center at 1-800-555-5455
What happens to First National Bank accounts after the account holder dies depends on how each account was titled. Beneficiary-designated and trust-owned accounts transfer directly. Accounts in the deceased's name alone go through the estate, and the executor or administrator works with First National Bank's Customer Contact Center (1-800-555-5455) to claim the funds.
Death claim process
Here is the step-by-step death claim process at First National Bank:
Filing a claim
- A copy of the death certificate. FNB's wording for the Estate Management Account is a "Valid certificate of death".
- A non-expired government-issued photo ID
- Account numbers or statements for the deceased, if available
- Payable-on-death accounts: present the death certificate and ID to claim the designated funds
- Estate accounts: present the Letter of Testamentary, Letter of Administration or Letter of Representation and open an Estate Management Account
- Safe deposit box: bring the key
- Bank accounts, online access and debit cards: 1-800-555-5455 (Mon-Fri 8 AM-9 PM, Sat-Sun 8 AM-5 PM)
- Investment, brokerage and trust accounts: F.N.B. Wealth Management at 1-877-871-7680
- Any other department: the FNB department directory at 1-833-BANK-FNB (1-833-226-5362)
Required Documents
- Death certificateA copy. The death document FNB names, on its Estate Management Account page, is a "Valid certificate of death".
- Government-issued photo ID, for the beneficiary or claimantNon-expired: a driver's license, state-issued ID, military ID, passport, or Permanent Resident Card and visa.
- Account numbers or recent statements for the deceased, where available
- Letters testamentary, letters of administration, or the state's small estate affidavit, for an account with no beneficiary and no surviving joint owner
- Trust pages showing the successor trustee's authority, for a trust account
- Beneficiary distribution paperwork for the account, for IRA and HSA accounts
- Letter of Testamentary, Letter of Administration or Letter of Representation, to open the Estate Management AccountTogether with a valid certificate of death.
What happens to each kind of account9
- Payable-on-death account
The named beneficiary presents a death certificate and photo ID to claim the funds.1
FNB's agreement states the beneficiary has no right to the funds until every owner has died.2
- Joint account with survivorship
FNB presumes rights of survivorship on any consumer account opened with more than one owner unless state law provides otherwise, so the surviving owner keeps the account.1
- Joint account without survivorship
A joint account held as tenants in common leaves the survivor in control of a proportionate share only.1
- Account in one name
An account with no beneficiary and no surviving joint owner is settled with letters testamentary, letters of administration, or the state's small estate affidavit.1
- Trust account
The successor trustee presents the death certificate, the trust pages showing successor-trustee authority, and photo ID.1
- IRA
For an IRA CD or IRA Savings account, the named beneficiary completes the beneficiary distribution paperwork. There is no payable-on-death claim on these.1
- Health savings account
The named beneficiary completes the beneficiary distribution paperwork. There is no payable-on-death claim on a health savings account.1
- Life insurance policy
For life insurance placed through First National Insurance Agency, the claim is filed with the issuing carrier, not with FNB.1
- Safe deposit box
Bring the key. Under FNB's Consumer Fee Schedule, a box opened without a key costs $175.00 for drilling plus $25.00 for the inventory, both of which fall on the estate.3
State law on paying a balance without lettersPennsylvania, West Virginia
- Pennsylvania
20 Pa.C.S. § 3101(b)
Pennsylvania law directs a bank to pay from a deceased depositor's balance on an affidavit, without letters testamentary or letters of administration.20 Pa.C.S. § 3101(b)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
Limit: $20,000 held at the institution
When: at any time after the death of a depositor, member or certificate holder
Paid to: the spouse; any child; the father or mother; any sister or brother
The section sets further conditions.
- West Virginia
W. Va. Code § 44-1-28(c), (d)
West Virginia law permits a bank to pay from a deceased depositor's balance on an affidavit, without letters testamentary or letters of administration.W. Va. Code § 44-1-28(c), (d)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
Limit: $5,000 per account
When: 120 days after the death
Paid to: the decedent’s surviving spouse, if any; if no spouse survived the decedent, the distributees of the decedent under the laws of the State of West Virginia, as established by an affidavit to that effect (in that order)
The section permits the payment. It does not require the bank to make it. The section sets further conditions.
Accounts handled elsewhere1
- F.N.B. Wealth Management
Brokerage, managed and trust-company accounts; the broker-dealer is Cetera Investment Services LLC, not the bank1
Phone: 1-877-871-7680
Mailing address: F.N.B. Wealth Management, 626 Washington Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
What First National Bank's agreement and guidance say6
- Telling the institution
Under FNB's Deposit Account Agreement, a notice given to FNB takes effect when FNB actually receives it.2
- Powers of attorney
FNB relies on an agent's authority only until the principal revokes it in writing, FNB receives proper legal notice of the principal's death, or a court appoints a guardian.1
- Deposits after the death
FNB's agreement lets it set off any account the person owned, including a joint account, to recover state or federal benefits such as Social Security deposited after the person stopped being eligible for them.2
- Which state governs the account
The law of the state of the branch where the account was opened governs it. For an account opened online, it is the state of residence at opening if FNB has a branch there, and otherwise Pennsylvania.2
- Dormant and unclaimed accounts
An account with no activity or contact for 24 consecutive months is dormant and is charged a $10 per month Dormant Account Fee.3
After the state's dormancy period, FNB sends the funds to the state named in the account's address.1
- Fees
FNB charges a $20 per hour Account Reconcilement/Research Fee when it has to reconstruct records.3
Not in First National Bank's published guidance3
- A claim form
- How long a claim takes
- Whether the death certificate must be certified
Sources3
- 1.Estate Management Account
- 2.Deposit Account Agreement
- 3.Consumer Fee Schedule, effective May 4, 2026
First National Bank's Customer Contact Center can be reached by phone at 1-800-555-5455 and email at FNBCustomerService@fnb-corp.com for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
Data sourced from First National Bank primary sources (18 pages reviewed). How we research.
First National Bank death claims support
Customer Contact Center (estate settlement)
Phone
Wealth Management and trust accounts
Department Directory (833-BANK-FNB)
Hours
Mailing address
Website
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