What to do when a HSBC account holder dies
Contact HSBC — 6-step process, 8 required documents, and varies based on complexity, jurisdiction, and completeness of documentation
Phone716-841-7394
Toll-Free1-877-394-4722
Mailing Address
HSBC Premier Service Center, P.O. Box 22, Buffalo, NY 14240
General Support
Wealth Services Desk
WebsiteLearn more→
Phone716-841-7394
Toll-Free1-877-394-4722
Mailing Address
HSBC Premier Service Center, P.O. Box 22, Buffalo, NY 14240
General Support
Wealth Services Desk
WebsiteLearn more→
Death Claims / Bereavement
Phone716-841-7394
Toll-Free1-877-394-4722
Mailing Address
ATTN: Legal Paper Processing, HSBC Bank USA, N.A., 2929 Walden Ave, Pole C84, Depew, NY 14043
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Apr 2026
After a HSBC account holder dies, accounts with beneficiary designations or trust ownership transfer to the designated recipients without probate. Solely-owned accounts require the estate's representative to contact HSBC's Death Claims / Bereavement at 716-841-7394 with the proper legal authority documents.
Death claims at HSBC can be started through an online portal, which streamlines the initial notification and document upload. Phone and mail options are also available.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
To file a claim after an account holder's death, here is what HSBC requires:
Filing a claim
1
Notify HSBC of the death:
- Call the bereavement line at 1-877-394-4722
- Or book an appointment with a Wealth Relationship Manager through the HSBC online dashboard
2
Provide initial information:
- Deceased customer's full legal name and Social Security number
- Your role with the estate (executor, administrator, next of kin)
3
HSBC will verify your identity with valid photo ID and certified proof of residential address
4
HSBC will advise on required documentation based on estate type and state law
5
Submit required documents:
- Certified death certificate
- Court-issued authority documents (Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration)
- For non-U.S. resident decedents: additional transfer certificate requirements apply (see HSBC guidance document on transfer certificates)
6
HSBC reviews documentation and processes account distribution
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration or Certification of Appointment
- Government-issued photo ID (passport or driver's license) for personal representative
- Certified proof of residential address
- Small estate affidavit (where applicable based on state law)
- Trust agreement (if applicable)
- Birth or marriage certificate or legal name change proof (if name differs)
- Bank forms for transferring funds (provided by HSBC)
International callers: +1-716-841-7394. Documentation requirements vary by state. Separate guidance available for estates involving non-U.S. resident decedents, including transfer certificates. You can also book an appointment with a Wealth Relationship Manager through the HSBC online dashboard at us.hsbc.com/online/dashboard.
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 HSBC of the borrower's death:
- Call Mortgage Customer Service at 1-855-527-8400
- Or call the bereavement line at 1-877-394-4722
2
Provide initial information:
- Deceased borrower's full legal name, Social Security number, and loan number
- Your role with the estate (executor, administrator, heir, or next of kin)
3
Submit a certified copy of the death certificate
4
HSBC will advise on required documentation based on estate type and state law
5
Complete Successor in Interest documentation:
- Complete and return the Successor in Interest form
- Include proof of your ownership interest in the property (e.g., probated will, court order, deed, or trust document)
6
HSBC will review your documentation and confirm your status as a Successor in Interest
7
Once confirmed, discuss available options:
- Continue making payments on the existing loan
- Apply for loss mitigation
- Assume the loan
- Refinance or pay off the balance
8
If experiencing payment hardship, contact the HSBC SPOC Team at 1-855-806-4657 for loss mitigation assistance
9
Continue making monthly mortgage payments during the review process to avoid default
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID (passport or driver's license) for the heir or personal representative
- Confirmation of residential address (certified per HSBC requirements)
- Documentation proving ownership interest in the property: probated will naming you as heir, court order of succession, recorded deed transferring ownership, 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)
- Birth certificate or legal name change documentation (if name differs from estate documents)
Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act (12 U.S.C. 1701j-3), HSBC 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. Confirmed Successors in Interest are treated as borrowers under CFPB mortgage servicing rules. For hardship and loss mitigation: HSBC SPOC Team at 1-855-806-4657. Premier mortgage service: 1-855-806-4660. General bereavement line: 1-877-394-4722.
Expected timelines at HSBC: Varies based on complexity, jurisdiction, and completeness of documentation. 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 HSBC includes Certified death certificate, Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration or Certification of Appointment, and Government-issued photo ID (passport or driver's license) for personal representative, along with additional paperwork that varies by account type. All death certificates and court documents must be certified copies.
Frequently asked questions
Call the HSBC bereavement line at 1-877-394-4722, or book an appointment with a Wealth Relationship Manager through the HSBC online dashboard. International callers can reach HSBC at +1-716-841-7394. You will need the deceased customer's full legal name and Social Security number, a certified death certificate, and court-issued authority documents such as Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act (12 U.S.C. 1701j-3), HSBC 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. Heirs should call Mortgage Customer Service at 1-855-527-8400 or the bereavement line at 1-877-394-4722 to begin the Successor in Interest process. Continue making monthly mortgage payments during the review process.
HSBC's Death Claims / Bereavement can be reached by phone at 1-877-394-4722 for questions throughout the claims process.
Multiple HSBC accounts may mean multiple claims. Some account types can be processed together, but others require their own documentation. Check with the Death Claims / Bereavement to confirm what applies.
Phone716-841-7394
Toll-Free1-877-394-4722
Mailing Address
HSBC Premier Service Center, P.O. Box 22, Buffalo, NY 14240
General Support
Wealth Services Desk
WebsiteLearn more→
Phone716-841-7394
Toll-Free1-877-394-4722
Mailing Address
HSBC Premier Service Center, P.O. Box 22, Buffalo, NY 14240
General Support
Wealth Services Desk
WebsiteLearn more→
Death Claims / Bereavement
Phone716-841-7394
Toll-Free1-877-394-4722
Mailing Address
ATTN: Legal Paper Processing, HSBC Bank USA, N.A., 2929 Walden Ave, Pole C84, Depew, NY 14043
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Apr 2026
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your HSBC accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
