What to do when a Fulton Bank account holder dies
Report the death to Fulton Bank Direct Banking Center at 1-800-385-8664
After an account holder at Fulton Bank 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 Fulton Bank Direct Banking Center at 1-800-385-8664 with the proper legal authority documents.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
The death claim process at Fulton Bank works as follows:
Filing a claim
Required Documents
- Death certificateA certified copy.
- Government-issued photo ID for the claimant, the payable-on-death payee, surviving joint owner, executor, administrator or successor trustee
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration, where there is no beneficiary and no surviving joint owner
- State small estate affidavit, in place of letters, where the estate qualifies and probate is not opened
- Certification of Trust or trust agreement showing the successor trustee, for a trust account
- IRA distribution or transfer paperwork, for an IRAThe banker provides it.
Forms Fulton Bank issues1
- Claim or distribution paperwork
Completed by the claimant. Provided at a branch.1
What happens to each kind of account4
- Joint account with survivorship
On the death of a party, the funds belong to the surviving party unless the signature card expressly says otherwise.2
Fulton may pay the balance of a multiple-party account to any party, even when another party has died.2
- Payable-on-death account
Where there are several payable-on-death payees, they take no right of survivorship among themselves.2
- Trust account
Where there are several trust beneficiaries, they take no right of survivorship among themselves.2
- Fiduciary account
Fulton's agreement requires a fiduciary to be designated as such, and Fulton may review and keep a copy of the court order or trust instrument that established the relationship.2
State law on paying a balance without lettersPennsylvania
- 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.
Accounts handled elsewhere1
- Fulton Private Bank Trust and Estate Services
Larger estates and trust-titled relationships; its Estate Settlement Officers work with families3
Mailing address: One Penn Square, Lancaster, PA 17602
What Fulton Bank's agreement and guidance say4
- Telling the institution
Notice of a death is given at the office where the account is maintained. It is not effective until Fulton has had a reasonable opportunity to act on it.2
- Powers of attorney
Fulton continues to honor an agent's or attorney-in-fact's instructions until it receives actual notice of the death or incompetency.2
- Debts owed to the institution
Fulton holds a continuing lien and a right of set-off against the accounts for the account holder's liabilities to the bank, other than credit cards. Trust accounts, IRAs and other tax-advantaged accounts are excluded.2
- Accounts from a merged institution
Accounts that were Republic First Bank accounts (converted November 4, 2024) or Blue Foundry Bank accounts (merged July 11, 2026) are now Fulton Bank accounts and follow the same process.1
Not in Fulton Bank's published guidance4
- A procedure for reporting a death
- A claim form
- A mailing address for claim documents
- How long a claim takes
Sources3
- 1.Contact Us
- 2.Rules and Regulations for Deposit Accounts, effective March 2, 2026
- 3.Fulton Private Bank Estate Planning
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.
- Continue paying the existing loan
- Apply for loss mitigation
- Assume the loan
- Refinance
- Pay off the balance
Claims Contact
Phone: 1-800-220-9034
Hours: Monday-Friday 7:00 AM-8:00 PM ET; Saturday 8:00 AM-3:00 PM ET
Mailing address: Fulton Bank, P.O. Box 94, East Petersburg, PA 17520
Federal law on calling a home loan after a death
These exemptions apply to a loan secured by residential real property containing less than five dwelling units.12 U.S.C. § 1701j-3(d); 12 CFR 191.5(b), 141.14Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
- A lender may not exercise a due-on-sale clause upon a transfer by devise, descent, or operation of law on the death of a joint tenant or tenant by the entirety.12 U.S.C. § 1701j-3(d)(3); 12 CFR 191.5(b)(1)(iii)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
- A lender may not exercise a due-on-sale clause upon a transfer to a relative resulting from the death of a borrower.12 U.S.C. § 1701j-3(d)(5)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
- A lender may not exercise a due-on-sale clause upon a transfer where the spouse or children of the borrower become an owner of the property.12 U.S.C. § 1701j-3(d)(6)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
A federal regulation sets further conditions on these transfers.12 CFR 191.5(b)(1)(v)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
Not in Fulton Bank's published guidance3
- A procedure for reporting a death
- A claim form
- A list of required documents
- Pay off the balance
- Refinance
- Repayment terms
Claims Contact
Phone: 1-800-385-8664
Hours: Monday-Friday 7:00 AM-8:00 PM ET; Saturday 8:00 AM-3:00 PM ET
Not in Fulton Bank's published guidance2
- A procedure for reporting a death
- A list of required documents
Fulton Bank Direct Banking Center can be reached by phone at 1-800-385-8664 for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
(1)·
Data sourced from Fulton Bank primary sources (15 pages reviewed). How we research.
Fulton Bank death claims support
Fulton Bank Direct Banking Center (estate and deceased-account matters)
Phone
Toll-free
Fulton Private Bank Trust and Estate Services
Fulton Mortgage Company (deceased borrower)
Hours
Website
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Free forms for settling an estate: probate petition, small estate affidavit, creditor notice and closing forms. Prepare each form for your state.
Affidavit of Death
Put a joint owner's or a transfer on death deed owner's death on the land records with the affidavit your state's statute names, laid out for recording.
IRS Form 56
Notify the IRS that you are the fiduciary of an estate, a trust or a person, or end a notice filed before, on the official form.
Digital Assets Recovery Letter
Prepare a letter requesting a deceased person's online accounts, points, and balances from the program that holds them.
Petition for Probate and Letters
Open probate and ask the court to appoint you and issue Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
Notice to Creditors
Notify estate creditors and start the claim period — the published notice plus mailed copies for known creditors.
Renunciation of Executor
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