What to do when a FNBO account holder dies
Contact FNBO's FNBO Wealth - Trust & Estate Services — 6-step process, 6 required documents, and pod accounts: typically within days once documentation is verified. estate accounts: varies based on probate process and documentation.
Personal Banking & Lending
First National Bank of Omaha, P.O. Box 3128, Omaha, NE 68103
FNBO Wealth - Trust & Estate Services
Trust & Estate Services / Customer Care
First National Bank of Omaha, P.O. Box 3128, Omaha, NE 68103
When an account holder at FNBO 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 FNBO's Trust & Estate Services / Customer Care (1-800-642-0014) to access and distribute the funds.
Death claims at FNBO can be started through an online portal, which streamlines the initial notification and document upload. Phone and mail options are also available.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
The death claim process at FNBO works as follows:
Filing a claim
- Deceased account holder's name and account information
- Certified death certificate (multiple copies recommended)
- POD accounts: named beneficiary provides certified death certificate and valid government-issued ID to claim funds
- Non-POD accounts: executor or administrator provides Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from probate court
- Trust accounts: successor trustee provides death certificate, trust document, and trustee identification
- Small estates: a small estate affidavit may be accepted in lieu of full probate documents
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate (multiple copies recommended)
- Government-issued photo ID for beneficiary, executor, or trustee
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (for non-POD, non-trust accounts)
- Trust agreement and successor trustee documentation (for trust accounts)
- Small estate affidavit (if applicable under state law)
- Court order (if required)
Claims Contact
What to know at this institution
FNBO Deposit Agreement (dated 10-1-2025), "Transactions After Death or Incompetence": FNBO "may allow your account to remain open" after an owner's death and "may continue to honor Transactions" until it has a reasonable opportunity to act after receiving actual notice, and "generally, we may pay checks for up to ten (10) days after we receive a death notice." Under "Claims After Death or Incompetence," if a government agency requires FNBO to reimburse a benefit payment made after the owner's death, the estate is responsible, and if the account lacks a sufficient balance FNBO "may deduct that claim from any account you have with us." Under "Direct Deposits," if funds from a direct deposit are returned to the originator, FNBO "may deduct that amount from your account." Paying one claimant releases FNBO from the claims of all other claimants and the estate. POD funds are "payable to the named beneficiaries" and "paid in equal shares unless our records say otherwise." Wealth Services: 1-888-916-8378 (Monday-Friday, business hours). Trust & Estate direct line: 1-800-538-7298. FNN Trust Company: 1-800-994-2445. Private Banking: 402-602-1750 (Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM CST). For mortgage-related death claims, contact mortgage servicing at 1-877-217-9714.
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
- Apply for loss mitigation
- Assume the loan, refinance, or pay off the balance
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for the heir or personal representative
- 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)
- Trust document showing successor trustee or beneficiary (if applicable)
Claims Contact
Phone: 1-877-217-9714
Email: 1mortgage@fnni.com
First National Bank of Omaha, P.O. Box 3128, Omaha, NE 68103
What to know at this institution
Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act (12 U.S.C. 1701j-3), FNBO 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.
Prepare your letter of instruction to FNBO
FNBO accepts a claimant-drafted letter of instruction. We draft it for you — addressed to FNBO'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 FNBO →Expected timelines at FNBO: POD accounts: typically within days once documentation is verified. Estate accounts: varies based on probate process and documentation. Delays are almost always caused by incomplete paperwork—gathering all required documents before filing the initial claim helps avoid back-and-forth.
FNBO requires several documents to process a claim, including Certified death certificate (multiple copies recommended), Government-issued photo ID for beneficiary, executor, or trustee, 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
The process depends on the account type. Accounts with a Payable on Death (POD) beneficiary designation pass directly to the named beneficiary outside of probate; the beneficiary provides a certified death certificate and government-issued ID to claim funds. Joint accounts with Right of Survivorship pass to the surviving owner. Trust accounts pass to the successor trustee. Accounts without POD, joint, or trust designations must go through the probate process, requiring Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration. Call FNBO customer service at 1-800-642-0014 to report a death, or Trust & Estate Services at 1-800-538-7298 for trust and estate accounts.
Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act (12 U.S.C. 1701j-3), FNBO cannot enforce a due-on-sale clause when the property transfers at death to a surviving spouse, child, other relative, or the borrower's revocable living trust. Heirs should call mortgage servicing at 1-877-217-9714 to notify FNBO of the death and request the Successor in Interest application. Confirmed Successors in Interest are treated as borrowers under CFPB mortgage servicing rules and are entitled to account information and loss mitigation options. Continue making monthly payments during the review to avoid default. Successor confirmation typically takes 30-45 days after documents are received.
Under FNBO's Deposit Agreement (dated 10-1-2025), the bank may keep the account open after death and continue to honor transactions until it has a reasonable opportunity to act after receiving actual notice of the death. It states that, generally, FNBO may pay checks for up to ten (10) days after it receives a death notice. Because of this, report the death promptly to 1-800-642-0014 (or Trust & Estate Services at 1-800-538-7298) and stop any outstanding automatic payments. The agreement also warns that if a government agency requires FNBO to reimburse a benefit payment (such as Social Security) deposited after the owner's death, the estate is responsible, and FNBO may deduct that claim from any account you hold with the bank if the account balance is insufficient.
FNBO's Trust & Estate Services / Customer Care can be reached by phone at 1-800-538-7298 for questions throughout the claims process.
If the deceased held multiple FNBO accounts, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The Trust & Estate Services / Customer Care can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.
Sources
Data sourced from FNBO primary sources (31 pages reviewed). How we research.
Personal Banking & Lending
First National Bank of Omaha, P.O. Box 3128, Omaha, NE 68103
FNBO Wealth - Trust & Estate Services
Trust & Estate Services / Customer Care
First National Bank of Omaha, P.O. Box 3128, Omaha, NE 68103
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