What to do when an Independent Bank account holder dies
Report the death to Independent Bank's Customer Connection Hub at 1-800-355-0641
What happens to Independent Bank accounts after the account holder dies depends on how each account was titled. Beneficiary-designated and trust-owned accounts transfer directly. Accounts in the deceased's name alone go through the estate, and the executor or administrator works with Independent Bank's Customer Connection Hub (1-800-355-0641) to claim the funds.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
Follow these steps to file a death claim with Independent Bank:
Filing a claim
- A consumer credit card balance is owed to Elan Financial Services, the creditor and issuer, at 866-234-4691
- Investment accounts sit with Cetera Investment Services under the IB Wealth Management name, at 800-300-0459
- There is no trust department: its Private Banking pages describe a premium deposit and lending relationship only, so a trust that names the bank as trustee has no corporate trustee to call here
- The bank may ask for additional documentation
- A certified copy of the death certificate
- Valid government-issued photo ID for the claimant
- Any legal documents: Letters Testamentary, Letters of Administration, the Michigan sworn statement for a qualifying small estate, or the trust agreement pages naming the successor trustee
- A certified copy of the death certificate and all required legal documents
- A cover letter with the deceased account holder's name, the account number and your contact information
Required Documents
- Death certificateA certified copy.
- Government-issued photo ID, for the beneficiary, executor or successor trustee
- Account information for the deceased personThe account number and the account holder's name.
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration, for an account with no payable-on-death beneficiary and no joint ownerFrom the Michigan probate court.
- Michigan small-estate sworn statement, for a small estate, in place of LettersPresented together with the death certificate.
- Trust agreement pages showing the successor trustee provisions and signature pages, for a trust accountWith the successor trustee's identification.
- IRA distribution or transfer forms, for an IRASupplied by the branch.
- Written instructions on how the funds are paidA new account, a check, or a transfer.
Forms Independent Bank issues2
What happens to each kind of account4
- Payable-on-death account
On a payable-on-death or "In Trust For" account, the beneficiary can withdraw only once every owner has died and the beneficiary is then living, and takes only what remains after the deceased person's outstanding checks and debits are paid.2
Two or more surviving beneficiaries take equal shares with no right of survivorship unless the account says otherwise. A named beneficiary is primary unless marked contingent, and if every beneficiary dies before the owner, the arrangement ends and the money vests back in the owner.2
- Joint account with survivorship
The balance of an account held by joint tenants vests in the surviving owner, and an account between spouses is treated as tenants by the entirety unless otherwise noted. Provide the death certificate to remove the deceased owner.2
- Joint account without survivorship
A tenants-in-common account is frozen on written notice of the death until the bank has satisfactory evidence of how it should be paid out.2
- Account in one name
An individual account with no payable-on-death beneficiary and no joint owner passes as part of the estate.2
Accounts handled elsewhere2
- Elan Financial Services
Independent Bank consumer credit cards; Elan is the creditor and issuer, so a card balance is owed to Elan1
Phone: 1-866-234-4691
- Cetera Investment Services (IB Wealth Management)
Investment accounts, held under the IB Wealth Management name1
Phone: 1-800-300-0459
What Independent Bank's agreement and guidance say7
- Telling the institution
Notice of the death is not effective until the bank has received it and had a reasonable opportunity to act on it.2
- Payments after the death
Death does not revoke the bank's authority to accept, pay or collect items until it knows of the death and has had a reasonable opportunity to act. Even then, for 10 days after the death it may pay checks drawn on or before the date of death unless a person claiming an interest in the account orders a stop payment.2
- Disputes between claimants
On written notice from any named party, the bank may freeze a joint account until all parties sign off on how it is paid out.2
- Indemnity a claimant may have to give
A surviving owner or beneficiary agrees to indemnify and hold Independent Bank harmless for the disposition of funds made in reliance on the account designations. The bank may refuse an instruction it believes exposes it to claims.2
- Powers of attorney
An authorized signer's authority ends at death. An agent "has no ownership or rights at death unless named as a Payable on Death beneficiary or named as an In Trust For beneficiary."2
- Dormant and unclaimed accounts
Dormant balances may be turned over to the State of Michigan, so a long-forgotten account of the deceased person may have to be claimed from Michigan Unclaimed Property rather than the bank.2
- Accounts from a merged institution
An account opened at Highpoint Community Bank is settled through Highpoint branches and channels until the full system transfer, which the bank dates to November 7-9, 2026.3
The bank states that "Independent Bank branches are not yet able to process transactions for HCB customers." Most changes land at the core banking conversion it expects in early November 2026.3
Not in Independent Bank's published guidance2
- A procedure for reporting a death
- A claim form to download
Sources3
- 1.Customer Connection Hub (Support Center)
- 2.Independent Bank Deposit Account Agreement, TruStage ITEM 640MIL1-7, 45/2025
- 3.Highpoint Community Bank merger page
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.
- Call the Customer Connection Hub at 800-355-0641, or the mortgage line at 844-821-5663
- Give the deceased borrower's full legal name, Social Security number and loan number
- Submit a certified copy of the death certificate
- A Request for Information sent there is how a successor in interest gets a written answer about the loan balance, escrow and status
- The Customer Connection Hub and the branches are the phone and in-person channels, not the written-notice address
- Request the Successor in Interest documentation packet from the mortgage servicing department
- Complete and return it with proof of your ownership interest in the property, such as a probated will, court order, deed or trust document
- Continue making payments on the existing loan
- Assume the loan
- Refinance or pay off the balance
Required Documents
- Death certificateA certified copy.
- Government-issued photo ID, for the heir or personal representative
- Completed Successor in Interest documentationObtained from mortgage servicing.
- Proof of ownership interest in the propertyA probated will, court order, recorded deed or trust document.
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration, if going through probate
- Marriage certificate, for a surviving spouse
Claims Contact
Phone: 1-844-821-5663
Mailing address: Loan Servicing, 227 West Main Street, Ionia, MI 48846
Forms Independent Bank issues1
- Successor in Interest documentation packet
Completed by the successor in interest. Sent by the institution on request.1
Federal law on calling a home loan after a death
These exemptions apply to a loan secured by residential real property containing less than five dwelling units.12 U.S.C. § 1701j-3(d); 12 CFR 191.5(b), 141.14Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
- A lender may not exercise a due-on-sale clause upon a transfer by devise, descent, or operation of law on the death of a joint tenant or tenant by the entirety.12 U.S.C. § 1701j-3(d)(3); 12 CFR 191.5(b)(1)(iii)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
- A lender may not exercise a due-on-sale clause upon a transfer to a relative resulting from the death of a borrower.12 U.S.C. § 1701j-3(d)(5)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
- A lender may not exercise a due-on-sale clause upon a transfer where the spouse or children of the borrower become an owner of the property.12 U.S.C. § 1701j-3(d)(6)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
A federal regulation sets further conditions on these transfers.12 CFR 191.5(b)(1)(v)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
Sources1
Independent Bank's Customer Connection Hub can be reached by phone at 1-800-355-0641 for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
(2)·
Data sourced from Independent Bank primary sources (15 pages reviewed). How we research.
Independent Bank death claims support
Customer Connection Hub
Phone
Toll-free
TTY
Hours
Mailing address
Website
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