How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at MidFirst
Covers 12 deposit, 3 retirement, and 1 investment accounts — beneficiaries must be updated in-branch
Personal Banker Support
Phone888.643.3477
Toll-Free888.643.3477
California Clients (formerly 1st Century Bank)
TDD (Hearing Impaired)
Credit Cards
Lost or Stolen Cards (all other hours and California clients)
WebsiteLearn more→
Personal Banker Support (Deceased Account Notification — no dedicated bereavement line)
Phone888.643.3477
Toll-Free888.643.3477
California Clients (formerly 1st Century Bank)
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026
There are two ways to keep your MidFirst 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.
With 16 product types, MidFirst offers a range of transfer options. Some accounts support Payable on Death (POD) designations, others can be retitled into a trust, and some require probate if no beneficiary is designated. The sections below break down each step.
LiveFree CheckingBoost CheckingM AccountM+ AccountPerformance SavingsTitanium Money MarketBoost SavingsMidFirst Certificate of DepositCallable CDStudent CheckingiSave Savings ProgramStudent Savings
1
Visit any MidFirst banking center in Oklahoma, Arizona, Colorado, or Texas with your government-issued photo ID (California clients of the former 1st Century Bank start with their banker or 310.270.9500)
2
Tell the banker you want to add or update a Payable on Death (POD) beneficiary on your checking, savings, money market, or CD account
3
Provide the beneficiary's information:
- Full legal name
- Relationship to you
- Date of birth and, where required, Social Security number
4
If naming more than one beneficiary, name each one — under the Account Agreement multiple POD beneficiaries share EQUALLY in the amount payable, so uneven shares are not available
5
Review and sign the POD designation paperwork with the banker
Required Documents
- Trust name, date established, and tax ID (EIN or SSN)
Special Requirements
- A POD beneficiary does not need to be present to be named, and does not need to be a MidFirst customer
- On the death of the LAST account owner, funds pass to the named POD beneficiary if living; if that beneficiary is not living, the funds pass to the named beneficiary's estate (Account Agreement, section 3)
- Multiple POD beneficiaries share equally — the Account Agreement provides no mechanism for unequal shares
- All joint MidFirst accounts are held as joint tenants with full rights of survivorship, so a POD beneficiary takes only after the last joint owner dies
- Named beneficiary and POD designations override instructions in your will
- MidFirst's right of offset survives: a debt the account owner owes MidFirst, 1st Century Bank, or Vio Bank can be applied against the account balance before anything is paid out
Sources
Data sourced from MidFirst primary sources (15 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these MidFirst instructions
Download instructions for the whole estateA printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against MidFirst primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
Personal Banker Support
Phone888.643.3477
Toll-Free888.643.3477
California Clients (formerly 1st Century Bank)
TDD (Hearing Impaired)
Credit Cards
Lost or Stolen Cards (all other hours and California clients)
WebsiteLearn more→
Personal Banker Support (Deceased Account Notification — no dedicated bereavement line)
Phone888.643.3477
Toll-Free888.643.3477
California Clients (formerly 1st Century Bank)
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your MidFirst accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
