What to do when a Glacier Bancorp account holder dies
Contact Glacier Bancorp — 5-step process, 6 required documents, and varies by account type; pod and joint accounts typically process faster than probated estates. processing times may vary across divisions.
P.O. Box 27, Kalispell, MT 59903
P.O. Box 27, Kalispell, MT 59903
Death Claims
Glacier Bank, P.O. Box 27, Kalispell, MT 59903
After an account holder at Glacier Bancorp 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 Glacier Bancorp's Death Claims at 1-800-735-4371 with the proper legal authority documents.
To start, call Glacier Bancorp at 1-800-735-4371. Have the account holder's full name, account numbers, and a certified death certificate ready before you call.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
The death claim process at Glacier Bancorp works as follows:
Filing a claim
- Deceased account holder's name, account number, and date of death
- Certified death certificate
- Government-issued identification for the claimant
- POD beneficiary: government-issued ID (the account is not part of the decedent's estate)
- Surviving joint owner: government-issued ID
- Trust documents and successor trustee ID (for trust accounts)
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (for accounts with no survivorship or POD designation)
- Small estate affidavit (where applicable under the law of the state where the account is based)
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate (original or certified copy)
- Government-issued ID for beneficiary, surviving owner, or estate representative
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (for accounts with no POD or survivorship designation)
- Trust documents and successor trustee ID (for trust accounts)
- Small estate affidavit (where applicable under the law of the state where the account is based)
- IRA beneficiary claim form (for retirement accounts -- separate from deposit-account POD claims)
What to know at this institution
Glacier Bank's deposit agreement (Terms and Conditions of Your Account, glacierbank.com/assets/files/2ECx1ezo) sets account succession rules SEPARATELY BY STATE, because Glacier's 18 divisions operate in 9 states. The agreement carries distinct "Ownership of Account and Beneficiary Designation" sections for (a) Arizona, Colorado and Nevada, (b) Idaho, (c) Montana, (d) Utah, (e) Wyoming, (f) Washington, and (g) Texas -- so the same product can pass differently depending on the state where the account is based. Signature-card labels also differ by state: accounts based in Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Nevada and Texas use "Joint Account - With Right of Survivorship," while Utah, Washington and Wyoming accounts use "Joint - With Survivorship (And Not As Tenants In Common)." Texas accounts additionally receive the statutory Uniform Single-Party or Multiple-Party Account Selection Form Notice, which warns that "Your will may not control the disposition of funds held in some of the following accounts." Estate and trust accounts opened by an executor or trustee are treated as FIDUCIARY ACCOUNTS under the agreement: the fiduciary has no ownership interest in the funds, the bank is not acting as a fiduciary, and the account is not subject to the bank's right of setoff nor to execution, levy, or garnishment against the fiduciary personally. There is no dedicated online portal for death claims; all claims are handled through branch visits or by calling 1-800-735-4371. Division contact information: glacierbank.com/all-divisions.
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.
- Call 1-800-735-4371 or visit your local division branch
- Provide the deceased borrower's full legal name, loan number, and property address
- Submit a certified copy of the death certificate
- Request the Successor in Interest application or documentation packet from your loan officer or branch
- Complete and return the documentation with proof of your ownership interest in the property (e.g., probated will, court order, deed, or trust document)
- Glacier Bank will review your documentation and confirm your status as a Successor in Interest
- Continue making payments on the existing loan
- Apply for loss mitigation
- Assume the loan
- Refinance the mortgage
- Pay off the remaining 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 (one or more of the following): probated will naming you as heir, court order of succession, recorded deed transferring ownership, trust document showing you as successor trustee or beneficiary
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if going through probate)
- Marriage certificate (if surviving spouse)
Claims Contact
Phone: 1-800-735-4371
Glacier Bank, P.O. Box 27, Kalispell, MT 59903
What to know at this institution
Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act (12 U.S.C. 1701j-3), Glacier Bank 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. Glacier Bank operates through 18 divisions across 9 states; contact the division that services your loan for the most direct assistance. Division directory: glacierbank.com/all-divisions.
Prepare your letter of instruction to Glacier Bancorp
Glacier Bancorp accepts a claimant-drafted letter of instruction. We draft it for you — addressed to Glacier Bancorp'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 Glacier Bancorp →How long the process takes at Glacier Bancorp: Varies by account type; POD and joint accounts typically process faster than probated estates. Processing times may vary across divisions. The most common reason for delays is missing or incomplete documentation, so submitting everything upfront is the best way to keep things moving.
Glacier Bancorp requires several documents to process a claim, including Certified death certificate (original or certified copy), Government-issued ID for beneficiary, surviving owner, or estate representative, and Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (for accounts with no POD or survivorship designation), 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. Glacier Bancorp runs 18 divisions across 9 states, and its deposit agreement (Terms and Conditions of Your Account) sets separate "Ownership of Account and Beneficiary Designation" rules for Arizona/Colorado/Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Washington, and Texas. The signature-card labels differ too: accounts based in Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Nevada and Texas use "Joint Account - With Right of Survivorship," while Utah, Washington and Wyoming accounts use "Joint - With Survivorship (And Not As Tenants In Common)." Texas accounts also receive the statutory Uniform Single-Party or Multiple-Party Account Selection Form Notice, which warns that a will may not control the disposition of funds held in some account types. Confirm which registration is on your signature card with the division that holds the account.
For a limited window, yes. The "Death or Incompetence" clause of Glacier's deposit agreement says the bank may continue to honor checks, items, and instructions until it knows of the death and has had a reasonable opportunity to act on that knowledge. Even after it has notice, the bank may pay or certify checks drawn on or before the date of death for up to ten (10) days after the death, unless someone claiming an interest in the account orders a stop payment. The same clause obligates account parties to notify the bank promptly of the death. If outstanding checks should not clear, report the death to 1-800-735-4371 or the division branch and place a stop payment at the same time.
Glacier's deposit agreement states that in certain circumstances, such as the death or incompetence of an account owner, the law permits -- and in some cases requires -- waiver of the early withdrawal penalty. Raise this with the division branch when you present the death certificate. The CD also renews automatically at maturity with a ten-calendar-day grace period during which funds can be withdrawn without penalty, so check the maturity date before breaking the certificate.
Glacier Bancorp's Death Claims can be reached by phone at 1-800-735-4371 for questions throughout the claims process.
Multiple Glacier Bancorp accounts may mean multiple claims. Some account types can be processed together, but others require their own documentation. Check with the Death Claims to confirm what applies.
Sources
Data sourced from Glacier Bancorp primary sources (17 pages reviewed). How we research.
P.O. Box 27, Kalispell, MT 59903
P.O. Box 27, Kalispell, MT 59903
Death Claims
Glacier Bank, P.O. Box 27, Kalispell, MT 59903
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