What to do when a Glacier Bank account holder dies
Contact Glacier Bank — 4-step process, 6 required documents, and pod and joint accounts typically process within a few business days of receiving all documents. probated estates may take longer depending on court proceedings.
Customer Service
P.O. Box 27, Kalispell, MT 59903
Customer Service
P.O. Box 27, Kalispell, MT 59903
Death Claims
Glacier Bank, P.O. Box 27, Kalispell, MT 59903
When an account holder at Glacier Bank 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 Glacier Bank's Death Claims (1-800-735-4371) to access and distribute the funds.
The first step is contacting Glacier Bank at 1-800-735-4371 with the account holder's full name, account numbers, and a certified death certificate in hand.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
Follow these steps to file a death claim with Glacier Bank:
Filing a claim
- Deceased account holder's name, account number, and date of death
- Certified death certificate
- Government-issued identification for the claimant
- Trust documents (for trust accounts)
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (for probated estates)
- Small estate affidavit (where applicable under Montana law -- Mont. Code Ann. 72-3-1101 for probate estates of $100,000 or less, less liens and encumbrances; 30-day waiting period applies)
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 probated estates)
- Trust documents and successor trustee ID (for trust accounts)
- Small estate affidavit (where applicable under Montana law)
- IRA beneficiary claim form (for retirement accounts)
What to know at this institution
All death claims are handled through branch visits or by calling customer service. There is no dedicated online portal for death claims. Glacier Bank branches are located in Flathead, Lake, and Lincoln counties in western Montana.
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 a Glacier Bank branch in Flathead, Lake, or Lincoln County
- 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 from your 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 (probated will, court order, recorded deed, or trust document)
- 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.
Prepare your letter of instruction to Glacier Bank
Glacier Bank accepts a claimant-drafted letter of instruction. We draft it for you — addressed to Glacier Bank'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 Bank →Expected timelines at Glacier Bank: POD and joint accounts typically process within a few business days of receiving all documents. Probated estates may take longer depending on court proceedings. Delays are almost always caused by incomplete paperwork—gathering all required documents before filing the initial claim helps avoid back-and-forth.
Documentation required by Glacier Bank includes 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 probated estates), along with additional paperwork that varies by account type. All death certificates and court documents must be certified copies.
Frequently asked questions
Visit a Glacier Bank branch in Flathead, Lake, or Lincoln County. For deposit accounts (checking, savings, money market, CDs), request a POD (Payable on Death) beneficiary designation form. For IRA accounts, a separate beneficiary designation form is required. Bring government-issued photo ID and your beneficiary's full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number. Beneficiary designations cannot be completed online or by mail.
Contact your local Glacier Bank branch or call 1-800-735-4371. For POD (Payable on Death) accounts, the named beneficiary presents a certified death certificate and government-issued ID to claim funds. For joint accounts with right of survivorship, ownership passes automatically to the surviving owner. For accounts without POD or joint ownership, the estate representative must provide Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from probate court. Montana allows transfer by affidavit for probate estates of $100,000 or less, less liens and encumbrances, after a 30-day waiting period (Mont. Code Ann. 72-3-1101).
Glacier Bank's Death Claims can be reached by phone at 1-800-735-4371 for questions throughout the claims process.
If the deceased held multiple Glacier Bank accounts, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The Death Claims can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.
Sources
Data sourced from Glacier Bank primary sources (13 pages reviewed). How we research.
Customer Service
P.O. Box 27, Kalispell, MT 59903
Customer Service
P.O. Box 27, Kalispell, MT 59903
Death Claims
Glacier Bank, P.O. Box 27, Kalispell, MT 59903
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