How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at HomeStreet
Covers 8 deposit, 1 retirement, and 2 lending accounts — beneficiaries must be updated in-branch
Brand change
HomeStreet Bank merged into Mechanics Bank on September 2, 2025. Deposit accounts and online banking converted to Mechanics Bank systems on March 23, 2026 (account numbers unchanged; new routing number 121102036), and legacy HomeStreet mortgage servicing moved to the Mechanics Bank Check My Loan platform in mid-2026 with reissued loan numbers. homestreet.com redirects to mechanicsbank.com. Former HomeStreet client support: 800-719-8080. Mechanics Bank Customer Care: 800-797-6324. Mortgage servicing: 800-237-3194. Effective September 2025.
HomeStreet is now part of Mechanics Bank. The procedures below reflect HomeStreet's accounts during the transition. View the Mechanics Bank estate planning page.
HomeStreet
Subsidiary of Mechanics Bancorp (HomeStreet Bank merged into Mechanics Bank, 2025-09-02)
homestreet.com→
Mechanics Bank Customer Care (former HomeStreet client support: 800-719-8080)
Phone800-797-6324
Mailing Address
Mechanics Bank, PO Box 8070, Walnut Creek, CA 94596
Former HomeStreet client support
Mortgage servicing (Check My Loan)
Credit Card Services (24/7)
Treasury Management
WebsiteLearn more→
Mechanics Bank Wealth Management - Trust and Estate Services (trustee, executor / co-executor, agency; Delaware trust services)
Phone925-482-8060
Mailing Address
Mechanics Bank, PO Box 8070, Walnut Creek, CA 94596
WebsiteLearn more→
Mechanics Bank Customer Care (deposit death claims, completed at a banking center or by mail; mortgage death claims go to Loan Servicing at 800-237-3194)
Phone800-797-6324
Mailing Address
Mechanics Bank, PO Box 8070, Walnut Creek, CA 94596
Former HomeStreet client support
Mortgage servicing / Successor in Interest
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026
There are two ways to keep your HomeStreet accounts out of probate: adding beneficiary designations and retitling eligible accounts into a revocable living trust. Which approach works best depends on the account type and your overall estate plan.
Across 11 product types, HomeStreet 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.
Free CheckingInterest CheckingBank On CheckingStudent CheckingPersonal SavingsPersonal Money MarketPersonal Money Market SpecialCustom Term CD
1
Visit any Mechanics Bank banking center (former HomeStreet branches all stayed open) with government-issued photo ID
2
Tell the banker which ownership type you want on file. The Mechanics Bank Personal Account Agreement recognizes each of these, and they behave very differently at death:
- Payable on Death (P.O.D.): you keep full control during life; at the death of the last surviving owner the funds pass to the surviving named beneficiaries, in equal shares unless you instruct the bank otherwise in writing
- Totten Trust ("in trust for" / ITF): an informal trust account with no written trust agreement; when all owners have died the surviving named beneficiaries own it
- Joint Account: passes to the survivor(s) on the death of any owner
- Community Property Account (married couples and registered domestic partners in WA and CA): ownership during life and after death is determined by community property law and may be affected by a will
- Tenancy in Common: the deceased owner's share goes to that owner's estate, not to the co-owner
3
Give each beneficiary's full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, relationship, and current address -- the agreement specifically asks owners to keep the bank informed of each designated beneficiary's address, which is how a claim actually reaches them
4
For an IRA CD, complete the IRA Beneficiary Designation form instead; a retirement account is never a P.O.D. deposit account
5
Review and sign the updated account documentation and keep a copy with your will and trust
Required Documents
- Trust name, date established, and tax ID (EIN or SSN)
Special Requirements
- Washington and California are community property states. A P.O.D. designation naming someone other than the spouse can be challenged by the surviving spouse to the extent the funds are community property -- the account agreement itself says community property ownership is determined by community property law and may be affected by a will.
- IRA beneficiary changes by a married owner in a community property state may require spousal consent; ask for the consent section on the IRA Beneficiary Designation form.
- A trust named as beneficiary generally requires a Certification of Trust.
- Keep beneficiary ADDRESSES current with the bank, not just names -- the agreement makes that the owner's responsibility.
- Absent written instructions, multiple P.O.D. or Totten Trust beneficiaries share equally; if you want unequal shares, say so in writing.
Sources
Data sourced from HomeStreet primary sources (15 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these HomeStreet instructions
Download instructions for the whole estateA printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against HomeStreet primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
HomeStreet
Subsidiary of Mechanics Bancorp (HomeStreet Bank merged into Mechanics Bank, 2025-09-02)
homestreet.com→Mechanics Bank Customer Care (former HomeStreet client support: 800-719-8080)
Phone800-797-6324
Mailing Address
Mechanics Bank, PO Box 8070, Walnut Creek, CA 94596
Former HomeStreet client support
Mortgage servicing (Check My Loan)
Credit Card Services (24/7)
Treasury Management
WebsiteLearn more→
Mechanics Bank Wealth Management - Trust and Estate Services (trustee, executor / co-executor, agency; Delaware trust services)
Phone925-482-8060
Mailing Address
Mechanics Bank, PO Box 8070, Walnut Creek, CA 94596
WebsiteLearn more→
Mechanics Bank Customer Care (deposit death claims, completed at a banking center or by mail; mortgage death claims go to Loan Servicing at 800-237-3194)
Phone800-797-6324
Mailing Address
Mechanics Bank, PO Box 8070, Walnut Creek, CA 94596
Former HomeStreet client support
Mortgage servicing / Successor in Interest
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your HomeStreet accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
