Independent Financial
Subsidiary of SouthState Corporation (merger closed January 1, 2025)
independent-bank.comEstate planning and settlement at Independent Financial
Name beneficiaries in branch, fund a trust in branch, and report a death at 1-800-277-2175
Independent Financial merged into SouthState BankMerged, effective January 2025
Independent Bank Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: IBTX) was acquired by SouthState Corporation on January 1, 2025; its subsidiary Independent Bank (doing business as Independent Financial) merged into SouthState Bank, National Association the same day. The FDIC records CERT 3076 as ending 01/01/2025 in a merger without assistance into CERT 33555 (SouthState Bank, N.A.). System conversion for former Independent Financial customers completed May 27, 2025, and branches now operate under the SouthState brand. www.independent-bank.com still resolves and redirects to https://www.southstatebank.com/personal?cpref=independent. Estate and account matters are handled by SouthState Customer Care and SouthState Wealth.
Independent Financial has 9 accounts, each with different rules for what happens when the account holder dies. Of those, 6 can name a trust as beneficiary or be retitled into a trust. The right combination of beneficiary designations and trust ownership can keep the entire portfolio out of probate.
Independent Financial lets account holders update beneficiary designations in branch and by phone, typically taking 15-30 minutes in branch. Trust funding is also available, allowing families to retitle accounts into the name of a revocable living trust.
Independent Financial provides specific procedures for both proactive estate planning and filing claims after a death.
Beneficiaries and trust funding
How to update beneficiaries in-branch, fund a trust in-branch, and review 9 account types at Independent Financial.
Preparing your estate →Death claim process
Report the death to Independent Financial's SouthState Customer Care at 1-800-277-2175. The page lists the steps and the documents to send.
When someone dies →For questions about any of these procedures, contact Independent Financial's Estate Settlement and Trust Administration at 1-800-277-2175.
Independent Financial is not available nationwide. Estate planning procedures may vary by state, so confirm that your location is served before making account changes.
Sources
Data sourced from Independent Financial primary sources (18 pages reviewed). How we research.
Independent Financial customer support
SouthState Customer Care (formerly Independent Financial)
Phone
Toll-free
Phone Banking
BillPay Support
After-hours lost or stolen debit card
After-hours credit card support, personal
After-hours credit card support, business
Hours
Mailing address
Website
Estate planning articles
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