What to do when a Hawaii State FCU account holder dies
Contact Hawaii State FCU's Member Services - Estate and Trust Accounts — 5-step process, 7 required documents, and 5-10 business days after all documentation is received, though complex estates may take longer
Member Service Call Center
Phone(808) 587-2700
Toll-Free1 (888) 586-1056
Mailing Address
Hawaii State FCU, P.O. Box 3072, Honolulu, HI 96802
WebsiteLearn more→
Member Services - Estate and Trust Accounts
Phone(808) 587-2700
Toll-Free1 (888) 586-1056
WebsiteLearn more→
Phone(808) 587-2700
Toll-Free1 (888) 586-1056
Mailing Address
Hawaii State FCU, P.O. Box 3072, Honolulu, HI 96802
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified May 2026
When a Hawaii State FCU member passes away, the Member Services - Estate and Trust Accounts handles the transition of accounts to beneficiaries or the estate. Accounts with Payable on Death designations or trust ownership transfer outside of probate, while solely-owned accounts may require Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from the probate court.
Hawaii State FCU 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.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
Here is the step-by-step death claim process at Hawaii State FCU:
Filing a claim
1
Notify Hawaii State FCU of the member's death by visiting a local branch or calling the Member Service Call Center at (808) 587-2700 (Oahu) or 1 (888) 586-1056 (toll-free)
2
Gather required documentation:
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Valid government-issued photo ID for the claimant
3
Choose the appropriate settlement path:
- For accounts with POD beneficiary: provide the death certificate and beneficiary ID to claim funds directly
- For joint accounts with right of survivorship: provide the death certificate; surviving owner retains access to the account
- For accounts without beneficiary or survivorship: obtain Letters Testamentary, Letters of Administration, or a Small Estate Affidavit from the court and provide along with the executor or administrator's ID
4
If needed, open an estate account at a Hawaii State FCU branch to manage estate proceeds and pay bills
5
Hawaii State FCU will review submitted documentation and process the claim
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Valid government-issued photo ID for the claimant (beneficiary, executor, or administrator)
- Account information for the deceased (account numbers if available)
- For accounts without beneficiary: Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from the court
- For small estates: Small Estate Affidavit as permitted under Hawaii Revised Statutes § 560:3-1201
- For trust accounts: trust documentation including successor trustee provisions and trustee ID
- For IRA accounts: IRA beneficiary claim forms and applicable distribution election forms
Visiting a local branch is the most direct way to initiate the estate settlement process. A Hawaii State FCU branch representative can help open an estate account if needed to manage proceeds and pay estate obligations. All accounts are federally insured by NCUA up to $250,000.
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.
1
Notify Hawaii State FCU of the borrower's death by calling the Member Service Call Center at (808) 587-2700 (Oahu) or 1 (888) 586-1056 (toll-free)
2
Provide initial information:
- Deceased borrower's full legal name, Social Security number, and loan number
- Certified copy of the death certificate
3
Request information about the Successor in Interest process from the mortgage servicing department
4
Complete and return any required Successor in Interest documentation with proof of your ownership interest in the property (e.g., probated will, court order, deed, or trust document)
5
Once confirmed as a Successor in Interest, choose from available options:
- Continue making payments on the existing loan
- Assume the loan
- Refinance in your own name
- Pay off the remaining balance
6
Continue making monthly mortgage payments during the review process to avoid default
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 showing you as successor trustee or beneficiary
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if going through probate)
- Marriage certificate (if surviving spouse)
Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act (12 U.S.C. § 1701j-3), Hawaii State FCU 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.
How long the process takes at Hawaii State FCU: 5-10 business days after all documentation is received, though complex estates may take longer. The most common reason for delays is missing or incomplete documentation, so submitting everything upfront is the best way to keep things moving.
Hawaii State FCU requires several documents to process a claim, including Certified copy of the death certificate, Valid government-issued photo ID for the claimant (beneficiary, executor, or administrator), and Account information for the deceased (account numbers if available), 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
When a member with a POD (Payable on Death) designation dies, the named beneficiary can claim the account funds by visiting a Hawaii State FCU branch with a certified copy of the death certificate and a valid government-issued photo ID. POD accounts bypass the probate process and pass directly to the named beneficiary.
If a deceased member account has no POD (Payable on Death) beneficiary and no joint owner with right of survivorship, the account funds must pass through probate. The executor or administrator must provide Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from the court, along with a certified death certificate and government-issued photo ID. For small estates, Hawaii law (Hawaii Revised Statutes 560:3-1201) allows a Small Estate Affidavit to claim funds without full probate proceedings.
Yes. Hawaii State FCU allows trusts to be named as POD (Payable on Death) beneficiaries on deposit accounts. You may need to provide a copy of the Certification of Trust. Visit a Hawaii State FCU branch or call the Member Service Call Center at (808) 587-2700 or 1 (888) 586-1056 to set this up.
No. IRA accounts (Traditional IRA and Roth IRA) cannot be retitled to a trust. The transfer method for IRAs is beneficiary designation. You can name a trust as the beneficiary of your IRA, which directs the IRA proceeds to the trust upon your death. Contact Hawaii State FCU to complete an IRA Beneficiary Designation form.
Under Hawaii Revised Statutes 560:3-1201 (Collection of Personal Property by Affidavit), a successor of a decedent may claim personal property by sworn affidavit when the gross value of the entire estate subject to administration does not exceed $100,000 (excluding motor vehicles, which transfer separately regardless of value). At least 30 days must have passed since death, no probate proceedings can be pending, and the successor must provide the affidavit, a certified death certificate, and government-issued photo ID. Bring these to a Hawaii State FCU branch to claim deposit-account funds without full probate.
Hawaii is not a traditional community property state, but it offers an optional Uniform Premarital Agreement Act (HRS chapter 572D) and an Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act (HRS chapter 510) for spouses who acquired property while domiciled in a community property state and then moved to Hawaii. For everyday joint Hawaii State FCU accounts (share, share draft, term share), the controlling rule is the account agreement and Hawaii law on joint accounts with right of survivorship: on the death of one owner, the surviving owner takes the balance outside probate. A POD beneficiary designation on a single-owner account similarly bypasses probate.
Hawaii State FCU's Member Services - Estate and Trust Accounts can be reached by phone at 1 (888) 586-1056 and email at memberservices@hsfcu.com for questions throughout the claims process.
If the deceased held multiple Hawaii State FCU accounts, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The Member Services - Estate and Trust Accounts can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.
Member Service Call Center
Phone(808) 587-2700
Toll-Free1 (888) 586-1056
Mailing Address
Hawaii State FCU, P.O. Box 3072, Honolulu, HI 96802
WebsiteLearn more→
Member Services - Estate and Trust Accounts
Phone(808) 587-2700
Toll-Free1 (888) 586-1056
WebsiteLearn more→
Phone(808) 587-2700
Toll-Free1 (888) 586-1056
Mailing Address
Hawaii State FCU, P.O. Box 3072, Honolulu, HI 96802
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified May 2026
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your Hawaii State FCU accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
