What to do when a KeyBank account holder dies
Contact KeyBank's KeyBank Wealth Management - Trust & Estate Services — 7-step process, 6 required documents, and varies based on account type, documentation, and the client's relationship with keybank. pod accounts with proper documentation can often be settled in a single branch visit. keybank prioritizes returning government deposits received after the date on the death certificate.
Personal Banking
Phone1-800-539-1539
Toll-Free1-800-539-1539
KEY2YOU Automated Self-Service
Lost or Stolen Cards
TDD/TTY (dial 711 for TRS)
WebsiteLearn more→
KeyBank Wealth Management - Trust & Estate Services
Phone1-800-539-1539
Toll-Free1-800-539-1539
KeyBank Retirement Operations (IRA)
WebsiteLearn more→
KeyBank Account Settlement
Phone1-800-539-1539
Fax1-216-357-6595
Mailing Address
KeyBank National Association, 4900 Tiedeman Road, Brooklyn, OH 44144
Mortgage Customer Service
Home Loan Payment Assistance
KeyBank Retirement Operations (IRA)
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified May 2026
When a KeyBank account holder passes away, the next step depends on how the accounts were set up. Accounts with beneficiary designations or trust ownership transfer outside of probate. Accounts titled solely in the deceased's name require the estate's legal representative to work with KeyBank's KeyBank Wealth Management - Trust & Estate Services (1-800-539-1539) to access and distribute the funds.
Death claims at KeyBank 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
The death claim process at KeyBank works as follows:
Filing a claim
1
Notify KeyBank of the account holder's passing by calling 1-800-539-2968 or visiting a local branch.
2
Schedule an account settlement appointment at a KeyBank branch (visit key.com/settle or call to schedule).
3
Provide an original or certified copy of the death certificate.
4
Provide documentation based on account type:
- POD accounts: beneficiary provides government-issued photo ID and death certificate; funds transfer directly to named beneficiaries
- Joint accounts: surviving account holder provides death certificate to remove the deceased's name from the account
- Individual accounts without POD: executor or administrator provides Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration issued by the court
5
Provide any additional documentation required based on state-specific requirements.
6
KeyBank reviews all documentation and processes the account settlement.
7
Assets are distributed per beneficiary designation, joint ownership, or estate instructions.
Required Documents
- Original or certified death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for beneficiary, joint owner, or executor
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if no POD or joint ownership)
- Trust documents (if trust is named as beneficiary)
- EIN for estate account (if opening an estate account)
- State-specific documentation as required
Account settlement can often be completed quickly by calling or visiting a branch by appointment. Documentation requirements vary by state. Hiring an attorney is not required to settle KeyBank accounts but may be helpful depending on the situation. Visit key.com/settle to schedule an appointment. Requests for verification of a complete client relationship as of the date of death can be sent from an attorney or estate executor, with a turnaround time of approximately 10 business days.
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 KeyBank of the borrower's death by calling Mortgage Customer Service at 1-800-422-2442 or general customer service at 1-800-539-2968
2
Provide the deceased borrower's information:
- Full legal name
- Social Security number
- Loan number
3
Submit a certified copy of the death certificate
4
Submit a written Successor in Interest request:
- Mail to: KeyBank National Association, Attn: Client Services, P.O. Box 5788, OH-01-51-05DF, Cleveland, OH 44101
- Include a statement that you are or may be a successor in interest
- Identify the borrower and loan number
5
KeyBank will acknowledge receipt and provide a written description of required documents
6
Complete and return all required Successor in Interest documentation with proof of your ownership interest in the property (e.g., probated will, court order, deed, or trust document)
7
KeyBank will review your documentation and confirm your status as a Successor in Interest
8
Once confirmed, discuss available options with KeyBank:
- Continue making payments
- Apply for loss mitigation
- Assume the loan
- Refinance
- Pay off the balance
9
If experiencing payment hardship, contact KeyBank Home Loan Payment Assistance at 1-866-947-2610
10
Continue making monthly mortgage payments during the review process to avoid default
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for the heir or personal representative
- Written request identifying you as a potential Successor in Interest with borrower name and loan number
- Documentation proving ownership interest in the property (one or more of the following): probated will naming you as heir, court order of succession, recorded deed transferring ownership, trust document showing you as successor trustee or beneficiary
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if going through probate)
- Marriage certificate (if surviving spouse)
Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act (12 U.S.C. 1701j-3), KeyBank 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. Mortgage Customer Service: 1-800-422-2442. Home Loan Payment Assistance: 1-866-947-2610. Mortgage Consultant: (888) KEY-0018. Mortgage Servicing address: KeyBank OH-01-MS-SER3, 4910 Tiedeman Road, Brooklyn, OH 44144. Escrow Servicing: KeyBank National Association, Attn: Escrow Servicing, 4910 Tiedeman Rd., OH-MS-SER3, Brooklyn, OH 44144.
How long the process takes at KeyBank: Varies based on account type, documentation, and the client's relationship with KeyBank. POD accounts with proper documentation can often be settled in a single branch visit. KeyBank prioritizes returning government deposits received after the date on the death certificate. The most common reason for delays is missing or incomplete documentation, so submitting everything upfront is the best way to keep things moving.
KeyBank requires several documents to process a claim, including Original or certified death certificate, Government-issued photo ID for beneficiary, joint owner, or executor, and Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if no POD or joint ownership), and additional documentation depending on the account type. Certified copies are typically needed—photocopies are generally not accepted for death certificates or court documents.
Frequently asked questions
You will need an original or certified death certificate and government-issued photo ID. For POD accounts, the named beneficiary presents these documents at a branch appointment. For accounts without POD, the executor or administrator also needs court-issued Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration. Additional requirements vary by state. Visit key.com/settle or call 1-800-539-1539 to schedule an appointment.
Yes. KeyBank National Association holds fiduciary powers and Key Private Bank provides corporate trustee and trust administration services, including serving as successor trustee for revocable living trusts after the grantor's death or incapacity. Key Private Bank coordinates with the client's advisors on trust funding, investment management, and distribution to beneficiaries. This service is generally available to clients with substantial investable assets. Contact a Key Private Bank Fiduciary Strategist through any KeyBank branch for details.
Under the SECURE Act (2019) and SECURE 2.0 (2022), non-eligible designated beneficiaries -- including most trusts -- must withdraw all inherited IRA assets by the end of the 10th year following the account owner's death. KeyBank Retirement Operations handles inherited IRA distributions and can process beneficiary claims. Key Private Bank advises clients on conduit versus accumulation trust design for IRA beneficiary planning: a conduit trust passes RMDs through to trust beneficiaries each year, while an accumulation trust retains distributions inside the trust subject to the 10-year rule. Trust beneficiaries are not treated as eligible designated beneficiaries unless the trust qualifies as a see-through trust under IRS regulations. Contact KeyBank Retirement Operations at 1-800-872-5553 to begin an inherited IRA claim.
When a KeyBank Key Equity Options HELOC borrower dies, the draw period ends and no additional advances can be made from the line. If the property was held in a revocable trust that became irrevocable at death, the successor trustee should notify KeyBank Mortgage Customer Service at 1-800-422-2442 and provide a certified death certificate and a copy of the trust document confirming trustee authority. Under the Garn-St. Germain Act (12 U.S.C. 1701j-3), KeyBank cannot call the loan due solely because of the transfer of the property to the borrower's revocable trust. The successor trustee may pay off the outstanding balance, refinance, or negotiate repayment terms with KeyBank.
Key Investment Services LLC (KIS), the broker-dealer that holds KeyBank brokerage and managed accounts, uses Pershing LLC (a BNY Mellon company) as its clearing broker and custodian. For TOD beneficiary claims on a KIS account, the claim is initiated through your KIS financial advisor or a KeyBank branch, but the account itself is held in custody at Pershing -- so transfer paperwork flows through Pershing's estate processing. The named TOD beneficiary will need to provide a certified death certificate, government-issued photo ID, and TOD claim forms (Pershing transfer paperwork supplied by KIS). New beneficiary accounts can be opened at KIS to receive the assets, or assets can be transferred in-kind to an outside brokerage. Contact your KIS advisor or call 1-800-539-1539 to begin a KIS TOD claim. This routing only applies to investment and managed accounts -- deposit POD claims (checking, savings, CDs, money market) are settled directly by KeyBank at the branch level.
KeyBank's KeyBank Account Settlement can be reached by phone at 1-800-539-1539 and fax at 1-216-357-6595 for questions throughout the claims process.
If the deceased held multiple KeyBank accounts, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The KeyBank Wealth Management - Trust & Estate Services can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.
Personal Banking
Phone1-800-539-1539
Toll-Free1-800-539-1539
KEY2YOU Automated Self-Service
Lost or Stolen Cards
TDD/TTY (dial 711 for TRS)
WebsiteLearn more→
KeyBank Wealth Management - Trust & Estate Services
Phone1-800-539-1539
Toll-Free1-800-539-1539
KeyBank Retirement Operations (IRA)
WebsiteLearn more→
KeyBank Account Settlement
Phone1-800-539-1539
Fax1-216-357-6595
Mailing Address
KeyBank National Association, 4900 Tiedeman Road, Brooklyn, OH 44144
Mortgage Customer Service
Home Loan Payment Assistance
KeyBank Retirement Operations (IRA)
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified May 2026
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your KeyBank accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
