What to do when a Golden 1 account holder dies
Contact Golden 1's Deposit Account Servicing - Member Beneficiary Support — 9-step process, 8 required documents, and pod beneficiaries can access funds upon providing required documentation. non-pod accounts depend on probate timeline.
Member Service Contact Center
Phone1-877-465-3361
Fax1-916-732-2894
Mailing Address
Golden 1 Credit Union, P.O. Box 15966, Sacramento, CA 95852
International
WebsiteLearn more→
Deposit Account Servicing - Member Beneficiary Support
Phone1-877-465-3361
Mailing Address
Golden 1 Credit Union, Deposit Account Servicing, P.O. Box 15966, Sacramento, CA 95852, Attn: Member Beneficiary Support
WebsiteLearn more→
Deposit Account Servicing - Member Beneficiary Support
Phone1-877-465-3361
Toll-Free1-877-465-3361
Mailing Address
Golden 1 Credit Union, Deposit Account Servicing, P.O. Box 15966, Sacramento, CA 95852, Attn: Member Beneficiary Support
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Apr 2026
The Deposit Account Servicing - Member Beneficiary Support at Golden 1 coordinates account transitions after a member's death. How each account is handled depends on its setup: POD and trust accounts transfer automatically, while solely-owned accounts typically require court authorization through Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
Golden 1 offers an online claims portal that makes the initial filing process more straightforward. Survivors can also initiate claims by phone or by mailing documentation directly.
Death claim process
The death claim process at Golden 1 works as follows:
Filing a claim
1
Notify Golden 1 by calling 1-877-465-3361 (Member Service Contact Center, Mon-Fri 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM PT). See https://www.golden1.com/deceasedmemberaccounts.
2
Golden 1 creates a case number upon notification and provides a phone number for a Deposit Account Servicing specialist who handles the case.
3
Reference the case number on all future correspondence with Golden 1.
4
Submit documents in person at a branch, by mail to Deposit Account Servicing, or by the email address the specialist provides.
5
POD beneficiaries:
- Provide a certified copy of the death certificate and valid government-issued photo ID
- Receive your portion of available funds without waiting for probate
6
Joint account holders:
- The account can be changed to a single account in the surviving owner's name
7
IRA accounts:
- IRA and Certificate Account Servicing handles IRA distributions; reach them via the main number 1-877-465-3361
- An employee will contact the designated beneficiary to discuss distribution of IRA assets and complete required election forms
8
Accounts without beneficiaries:
- A court-appointed legal representative (executor/administrator) must provide Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration
- Small estates: a person eligible to complete a Small Estate Affidavit may claim funds without full probate
- Minor beneficiaries ($5,000 or less): a parent/guardian must complete the Affidavit for Minor's Estate form
9
Golden 1 reviews all documentation and distributes assets per beneficiary designation or estate instructions.
Required Documents
- Certified copy of death certificate
- Valid government-issued photo ID for claimant (driver's license, state ID, or passport)
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if no POD designation)
- Trust documents (if trust is beneficiary) - permissible pages or Certification of Trust
- Small Estate Affidavit (for qualifying small estates under Cal. Prob. Code 13100 et seq.)
- Affidavit for Minor's Estate (Golden 1 form, for minor beneficiaries receiving $5,000 or less)
- Court order or probate documents (if applicable)
- Membership Application for the beneficiary or successor trustee, as applicable
Claims Contact
A case number is assigned upon notification and must be referenced in all correspondence. After the case is opened, Golden 1 provides a phone number for a specialist who guides the claimant through document collection. Joint account holders may add a new joint owner or convert to a single account. IRA beneficiaries are contacted separately by Golden 1's IRA and Certificate Account Servicing team. Safe deposit box access is available to beneficiaries, executors, administrators, or persons eligible for a Small Estate Affidavit. Government overpayments (Social Security, VA benefits, SSI) received after date of death are returned to the appropriate government agency. // NOTE: Internal extension numbers (ext. 5590 deposit servicing, ext. 5659 IRA servicing) are retained from prior verification; Golden 1 no longer publishes these specific extensions in publicly indexed materials, but the main toll-free 1-877-465-3361 routes the caller to the correct team.
How long the process takes at Golden 1: POD beneficiaries can access funds upon providing required documentation. Non-POD accounts depend on probate timeline. The most common reason for delays is missing or incomplete documentation, so submitting everything upfront is the best way to keep things moving.
Golden 1 requires several documents to process a claim, including Certified copy of death certificate, Valid government-issued photo ID for claimant (driver's license, state ID, or passport), and Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if no POD 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
Call Golden 1 Deposit Account Servicing at 1-877-465-3361, Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. PT. Golden 1 assigns a case number, then provides a phone number for a specialist who guides you through document collection (death certificate, photo ID, and any trust or probate documents). Submit completed documents in person at a branch, by mail to Deposit Account Servicing, P.O. Box 15966, Sacramento, CA 95852, Attn: Member Beneficiary Support, or by the email address the specialist provides. See golden1.com/deceasedmemberaccounts for forms.
If you are a designated POD beneficiary, provide Golden 1 with a certified copy of the account holder's death certificate and a valid government-issued photo ID (driver's license, state ID, or passport). You are entitled to receive your portion of available funds without waiting for the release of the estate by a probate judge or administrator.
IRA accounts have their own separate beneficiary designations on the IRA application; the regular Beneficiary Designation Form does not apply to IRAs. After death is reported, Golden 1's IRA and Certificate Account Servicing team contacts the beneficiary on file to discuss distribution options and complete election forms. IRA beneficiaries do not need to wait for probate. Traditional and Roth IRA accounts are NCUA-insured separately up to $250,000.
Yes. Under California Probate Code 13100, for decedents who died on or after April 1, 2025, a successor in interest may collect personal property without full probate when the gross value of the decedent's California estate (excluding property listed in Probate Code 13050) does not exceed $208,850. Golden 1 publishes a downloadable Small Estate Affidavit form on its deceased-member forms page. A valid California driver's license, state ID, or passport is required for identity verification. Threshold last adjusted by the Judicial Council on Form DE-300.
California is a community property state. A married Golden 1 member's share of community property held jointly with the spouse generally passes to the surviving spouse, but the deceased spouse's separate half-interest passes under their will, trust, or POD designation. If the account is titled as joint with right of survivorship, the surviving owner takes the full account regardless of community property classification. If the account has a POD designation, the named beneficiary takes after the surviving spouse's interest. Golden 1 does not interpret marital property characterization; bring the death certificate, ID, and any trust or court documentation, and the assigned specialist will explain what documents are needed for your specific titling.
Golden 1's Deposit Account Servicing - Member Beneficiary Support can be reached by phone at 1-877-465-3361 for questions throughout the claims process.
Multiple Golden 1 accounts may mean multiple claims. Some account types can be processed together, but others require their own documentation. Check with the Deposit Account Servicing - Member Beneficiary Support to confirm what applies.
Member Service Contact Center
Phone1-877-465-3361
Fax1-916-732-2894
Mailing Address
Golden 1 Credit Union, P.O. Box 15966, Sacramento, CA 95852
International
WebsiteLearn more→
Deposit Account Servicing - Member Beneficiary Support
Phone1-877-465-3361
Mailing Address
Golden 1 Credit Union, Deposit Account Servicing, P.O. Box 15966, Sacramento, CA 95852, Attn: Member Beneficiary Support
WebsiteLearn more→
Deposit Account Servicing - Member Beneficiary Support
Phone1-877-465-3361
Toll-Free1-877-465-3361
Mailing Address
Golden 1 Credit Union, Deposit Account Servicing, P.O. Box 15966, Sacramento, CA 95852, Attn: Member Beneficiary Support
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Apr 2026
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