How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at Heartland
Covers 13 deposit, 2 retirement, and 3 lending accounts — beneficiaries must be updated in-branch
Brand change
Heartland BancCorp was acquired by German American Bancorp, Inc. on February 1, 2025. Heartland Bank continues to operate under its own brand as a division of German American Bank in the Columbus, Ohio and Greater Cincinnati markets, with its own Customer Care line at (800) 697-0049 and its own branches. Integration has progressed: heartland.bank now publishes German American Bank routing number 083904563, and trust administration and estate planning services are delivered under the German American Bank wealth management group. Effective February 2025.
The procedures below reflect Heartland's accounts. Account servicing may transfer as the change takes effect.
Customer Care Center
Phone614-416-4601
Toll-Free800-697-0049
Mailing Address
430 North Hamilton Road, Whitehall, OH 43213
BankLine 24 (bank by phone)
Lost or stolen check card
Lost or stolen check card (alternate)
Lost or stolen credit card
WebsiteLearn more→
Trust Administration and Estate Planning (German American Bank wealth management)
Phone800-697-0049
German American Bank Customer Care Center
WebsiteLearn more→
Customer Care Center / branch banking (estate settlement)
Phone614-416-4601
Toll-Free800-697-0049
Mailing Address
430 North Hamilton Road, Whitehall, OH 43213
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026
Estate planning for your Heartland accounts starts with understanding how each one transfers at death. Beneficiary designations and trust retitling both bypass probate, but the right approach depends on the account type, your tax situation, and how much control you want over distributions.
Across 18 product types, Heartland accounts vary in how they transfer at death. The sections below walk through Payable on Death (POD) designations, trust funding options, and which products support each method.
$MART Checking$MART Checking with Intereste-$MART CheckingStudent CheckingSavings AccountMarket Smart (Money Market)Market Manager (Money Market)Round Up SavingsChristmas ClubVacation ClubCertificate of DepositCD SpecialHealth Savings Account (HSA)
1
Visit any Heartland Bank office (heartland.bank/about-us/locations/all-locations; the Whitehall headquarters office at 430 North Hamilton Road is open Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET)
2
Bring government-issued photo ID
3
Complete the designation forms:
- POD beneficiary cards for deposit accounts (checking, savings, money market, CD)
- IRA beneficiary designation form for a Traditional or Roth IRA or IRA CD
- HSA beneficiary designation for a Health Savings Account
- Certification of Trust or trust agreement if a trust is the beneficiary
4
Ask for a copy of every executed designation for your records — heirs cannot see designations in online banking
Required Documents
- Trust name, date established, and tax ID (EIN or SSN)
Special Requirements
- No online beneficiary designation — Heartland handles this in-branch
- A trust named as beneficiary requires a Certification of Trust or the trust agreement so the bank records the exact trust name and trustee
- IRA beneficiary changes are made on Heartland's IRA beneficiary designation form, not on a deposit POD card
- The HSA carries its own beneficiary designation, separate from any deposit-account POD
Sources
Data sourced from Heartland primary sources (20 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these Heartland instructions
Download instructions for the whole estateA printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against Heartland primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
Customer Care Center
Phone614-416-4601
Toll-Free800-697-0049
Mailing Address
430 North Hamilton Road, Whitehall, OH 43213
BankLine 24 (bank by phone)
Lost or stolen check card
Lost or stolen check card (alternate)
Lost or stolen credit card
WebsiteLearn more→
Trust Administration and Estate Planning (German American Bank wealth management)
Phone800-697-0049
German American Bank Customer Care Center
WebsiteLearn more→
Customer Care Center / branch banking (estate settlement)
Phone614-416-4601
Toll-Free800-697-0049
Mailing Address
430 North Hamilton Road, Whitehall, OH 43213
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your Heartland accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
