What to do when a First Savings account holder dies
Contact First Savings's First Merchants Private Wealth Advisors — 4-step process, 5 required documents, and pod and joint account claims typically process within 1-2 weeks of complete documentation; trust accounts within 2-4 weeks; probate-dependent claims vary with the indiana probate timeline (often several months)
Brand change
First Savings Bank merged into First Merchants Bank effective February 1, 2026. The First Savings brand is being phased out as system integration completes during Q2 2026. Effective February 2026.
First Savings is now part of First Merchants. The procedures below reflect First Savings's accounts during the transition. View the First Merchants estate planning page.
First Merchants Customer Service (legacy First Savings Customer First transition line still active)
Phone1-833-372-4968
Toll-Free1-800-205-3464
Mailing Address
First Merchants Bank, PO Box 549, Daleville, IN 47334 (general correspondence); legacy branch HQ: 702 North Shore Drive, Jeffersonville, IN 47130
WebsiteLearn more→
First Merchants Customer Service / Estate Servicing
Phone1-833-372-4968
Toll-Free1-800-205-3464
Mailing Address
First Merchants Bank, PO Box 549, Daleville, IN 47334 (general correspondence)
Verified Jul 2026
After a First Savings account holder 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 First Savings's First Merchants Private Wealth Advisors at 1-833-372-4968 with the proper legal authority documents.
To start, call First Savings at 1-833-372-4968. Have the account holder's full name, account numbers, and a certified death certificate ready before you call.
Death claim process
The death claim process at First Savings works as follows:
Filing a claim
1
Notify the bank of the account holder's death:
- Call Customer First transition line at 1-833-372-4968, First Merchants at 1-800-205-3464, or visit any branch location
- Provide the deceased account holder's full legal name and account number if known
2
Provide a certified death certificate
3
Choose the appropriate settlement path based on account type:
- For POD accounts: named beneficiary provides certified death certificate and valid government-issued ID to claim funds
- For joint accounts with survivorship: ownership passes automatically to surviving owner(s)
- For trust-titled accounts: successor trustee provides death certificate, trust documents (or Indiana Code 30-4-2.5 Certificate of Trust), and trustee identification
- For non-POD individual accounts: executor or administrator provides Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from Indiana probate court
- For IRA accounts: named beneficiary provides death certificate and completes distribution paperwork
4
Complete any required claim forms provided by the bank
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for beneficiary or authorized representative
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (for probate estates) issued by an Indiana circuit court
- Trust documents and successor trustee identification (for trust-titled accounts)
- Small Estate Affidavit (if applicable under Indiana Code 29-1-8-1)
What to know at this institution
Under Indiana Code 29-1-8-1, small estates valued at $100,000 or less may qualify for simplified transfer by affidavit after 45 days from death (raised from $50,000 effective July 1, 2022). Early withdrawal penalties on CDs are typically waived upon death of account holder. The FDIC six-month grace period (through August 1, 2026) after the First Merchants merger continues to treat pre-merger deposits at both banks as if they remain at separate institutions for insurance purposes. Contact Customer First at 1-833-372-4968 or First Merchants at 1-800-205-3464 for assistance with death claims.
Prepare your letter of instruction to First Savings
First Savings accepts a claimant-drafted letter of instruction. We draft it for you — addressed to First Savings's verified claims department, with the documents it requires enclosed.
Build your letter of instructionExpected timelines at First Savings: POD and joint account claims typically process within 1-2 weeks of complete documentation; trust accounts within 2-4 weeks; probate-dependent claims vary with the Indiana probate timeline (often several months). Delays are almost always caused by incomplete paperwork—gathering all required documents before filing the initial claim helps avoid back-and-forth.
First Savings requires several documents to process a claim, including Certified death certificate, Government-issued photo ID for beneficiary or authorized representative, and Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (for probate estates) issued by an Indiana circuit court, 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
Yes. First Savings Financial Group merged into First Merchants Corporation effective February 1, 2026; the fsbbank.net website now redirects to firstmerchants.com and the system conversion is completing during Q2 2026. Estate claims on legacy First Savings accounts are handled through First Merchants Customer Service at 1-800-205-3464 or the Customer First transition line at 1-833-372-4968. Bring a certified death certificate, photo ID, and either Letters Testamentary, a Certificate of Trust, or a Small Estate Affidavit as appropriate. The Debit Card Rewards Program ended May 14, 2026, and unused points expired that date.
The FDIC provides a six-month grace period through August 1, 2026, during which pre-merger deposits at both banks are insured separately up to $250,000 per depositor per ownership category. After August 1, 2026, all deposits at the combined institution aggregate for FDIC insurance purposes. If a deceased account holder had accounts at both banks, an executor managing combined balances above $250,000 should verify ownership categories (single, joint, trust/POD) before that deadline, since trust and POD designations can create additional insurance buckets per beneficiary.
Yes. Under Indiana Code 30-4-2.5, a trustee may furnish a Certification of Trust containing the trust name, date of execution, settlor and trustee identities, trustee powers, and revocability status in lieu of the full trust agreement. First Merchants accepts a Certificate of Trust for retitling deposit accounts or for successor trustee verification after death. Bring the certificate, government-issued photo ID for the acting trustee, and the trust EIN (or settlor SSN for a revocable trust).
Indiana Code 29-1-8-1 allows transfer of personal property (including bank accounts) by affidavit when the gross probate estate is $100,000 or less and at least 45 days have passed since death. The affidavit must be signed under penalty of perjury and accompanied by a certified death certificate. This avoids opening a formal probate estate. The bank will release funds in the deceased account holder's sole name (without POD or joint owner) to the affiant once the affidavit and supporting documents are reviewed.
First Savings's First Merchants Customer Service / Estate Servicing can be reached by phone at 1-800-205-3464 for questions throughout the claims process.
Multiple First Savings accounts may mean multiple claims. Some account types can be processed together, but others require their own documentation. Check with the First Merchants Private Wealth Advisors to confirm what applies.
Sources
Data sourced from First Savings primary sources (12 pages reviewed). How we research.
First Merchants Customer Service (legacy First Savings Customer First transition line still active)
Phone1-833-372-4968
Toll-Free1-800-205-3464
Mailing Address
First Merchants Bank, PO Box 549, Daleville, IN 47334 (general correspondence); legacy branch HQ: 702 North Shore Drive, Jeffersonville, IN 47130
WebsiteLearn more→
First Merchants Customer Service / Estate Servicing
Phone1-833-372-4968
Toll-Free1-800-205-3464
Mailing Address
First Merchants Bank, PO Box 549, Daleville, IN 47334 (general correspondence)
Verified Jul 2026
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