What to do when a Pinnacle Bank (NE) account holder dies
Contact Pinnacle Bank (NE)'s Pinnacle Trust Services — 5-step process, 6 required documents, and pinnacle bank does not publish a claims timeline. it varies with account type, documentation, and whether probate is required. pod and joint-survivorship accounts are the fastest; a successor in interest determination on a mortgage typically takes 30-45 days after all documents are received.
Customer Service
Phone1-800-227-7715
Business Banking (Mon-Fri 8am-8pm CST)
Business Premium Online Banking (Mon-Fri 8am-6pm CST)
Bill Pay Support (Daily 7am-10pm CST)
Lost/Stolen Debit Card (24/7)
Debit Card Activation/PIN (24/7)
Lost/Stolen Credit Card (24/7)
Diamond Secure Identity Fraud (Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm EST)
Mortgage Center
WebsiteLearn more→
Pinnacle Trust Services
Phone402-697-0050
Toll-Free1-800-227-7715
Fax402-697-8887
Mailing Address
Pinnacle Trust Services, 13131 West Dodge Road, Omaha, NE 68154 (fax 402-697-8887). Lincoln trust office: 3939 South Street, Lincoln, NE 68506 (fax 402-437-9298).
Pat Garrett, President - Pinnacle Trust Services (Omaha)
Jack Rice, Trust Officer - trust and estate administration (Omaha)
Jessica Sheldrick, AVP Trust Officer (Omaha)
Janae Knoell, AVP Trust Officer (Omaha)
Mark Kisker, Senior VP Trust Officer (Lincoln)
Jennifer Jensen, AVP Trust Officer (Lincoln)
Clare Dorshorst, Trust Officer (Lincoln)
Vern Schulte, Trust Officer (Columbus)
Lynda Anderson, AVP Trust Officer (Beatrice)
WebsiteLearn more→
Customer Service (deceased accounts are handled by the deceased's local branch; there is no central estate-claims unit)
Phone1-800-227-7715
Toll-Free1-800-227-7715
Mailing Address
Pinnacle Bank, 1401 N Street, Lincoln, NE 68508 (main office). Estate paperwork is normally delivered to the deceased's branch -- locate it at https://www.pinnbank.com/location-search
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026
When a Pinnacle Bank (NE) 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 Pinnacle Bank (NE)'s Pinnacle Trust Services (1-800-227-7715) to access and distribute the funds.
Pinnacle Bank (NE) offers an online claims portal that makes the initial filing process more straightforward. Survivors can also initiate claims by phone or by mailing documentation directly.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
Here is the step-by-step death claim process at Pinnacle Bank (NE):
Filing a claim
1
Call Pinnacle Bank at 1-800-227-7715 (Mon-Fri 8am-8pm CST, Sat-Sun 8am-5pm CST) or visit the deceased's local branch. Pinnacle is a branch-based community bank -- there is no central estate-claims unit, no claims portal, and no claims fax; the branch and, for fiduciary accounts, Pinnacle Trust Services handle the file.
2
Provide initial information:
- Provide the deceased's full legal name, date of birth, and account information
- Submit a certified death certificate
- Report and cancel the deceased's cards so no further charges or ATM withdrawals post: debit cards at 1-800-472-3272 (24/7), credit cards at 1-855-325-0903 (24/7)
3
Follow the process for your account type:
- For POD accounts: named beneficiary provides certified death certificate and valid government-issued photo ID to claim funds
- For joint accounts with right of survivorship: surviving owner provides certified death certificate to remove the deceased from the account
- For sole-owned accounts without POD: executor provides Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from the probate court
- For a small Nebraska estate: if all of the decedent's personal property statewide, less liens and encumbrances, is worth $100,000 or less and at least 30 days have passed since the death, a successor can collect the account on a small estate affidavit instead of opening probate (Neb. Rev. Stat. 30-24,125)
- For trust accounts: successor trustee provides certified death certificate and trust documentation showing successor trustee authority
- For IRA accounts: beneficiary provides certified death certificate and valid photo ID; distribution options depend on beneficiary type and the IRA agreement
- For an HSA: the account does not pass by POD -- it goes to the named beneficiary, and a surviving spouse can treat it as their own HSA while any other beneficiary takes it into income
4
Ask the branch for a copy of the deposit account agreement ("Terms and Conditions of Your Account") and read its Death or Incapacity clause. Pinnacle Bank does not publish that agreement on pinnbank.com, so how long it keeps paying items drawn before the death, and what indemnity it can require of a claimant, has to come from the branch's copy rather than from the website.
5
For a Pinnacle mortgage or home equity loan, the loan is handled through the Successor in Interest process (see the mortgage product), not the deposit claim; for a Pinnacle credit card, the balance accelerates on death under Section O of the Credit Card Agreement and is paid as a creditor claim against the estate.
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate (original or certified copy)
- Government-issued photo ID for claimant, beneficiary, executor, or successor trustee
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (for probate estates)
- Nebraska small estate affidavit (personal property $100,000 or less and 30 days elapsed -- Neb. Rev. Stat. 30-24,125)
- Trust documentation with successor trustee designation (for trust accounts)
- Court order (if applicable)
What to know at this institution
Pinnacle Bank runs death claims out of the local branch -- it publishes no estate-claims department, no claims fax, no claims email, and no online claim form, so the branch plus the 1-800-227-7715 line is the whole channel. Nebraska is one of the few states with a county-level inheritance tax, so an executor settling a Nebraska estate should expect the inheritance tax to be handled through the county court, separately from the bank. Lost or stolen debit cards for a deceased account holder: 1-800-472-3272. Credit cards: 1-855-325-0903.
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 Pinnacle Bank of the borrower's death by calling 1-800-227-7715 or visiting a local branch
2
Submit required documentation:
- Provide the deceased borrower's full legal name, date of death, and loan number
- Submit a certified copy of the death certificate
- Submit documentation proving your ownership interest in the property (probated will, court order, deed, or trust document)
3
Successor in Interest review and resolution:
- Pinnacle Bank will review your documentation and confirm your status as a Successor in Interest
- Once confirmed, you can discuss options: continue making payments, assume the loan, refinance, or pay off the balance
4
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
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if going through probate)
- Documentation proving ownership interest in the property (probated will, court order, deed, or trust document)
- Trust document showing successor trustee or beneficiary (if property held in trust)
- Marriage certificate (if surviving spouse)
- Small Estate Affidavit (if estate qualifies under Nebraska law)
Claims Contact
Phone: 1-800-227-7715
What to know at this institution
Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act (12 U.S.C. 1701j-3), Pinnacle Bank 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.
Prepare your letter of instruction to Pinnacle Bank (NE)
Pinnacle Bank (NE) accepts a claimant-drafted letter of instruction. We draft it for you — addressed to Pinnacle Bank (NE)'s verified claims department, with the documents it requires enclosed.
Build your letter of instructionOpening an account for the estate itself
Checks made out to the estate deposit into an account titled to the estate, opened by the appointed executor or administrator under the estate's EIN.
How to open an estate account at Pinnacle Bank (NE) →How long the process takes at Pinnacle Bank (NE): Pinnacle Bank does not publish a claims timeline. It varies with account type, documentation, and whether probate is required. POD and joint-survivorship accounts are the fastest; a Successor in Interest determination on a mortgage typically takes 30-45 days after all documents are received. The most common reason for delays is missing or incomplete documentation, so submitting everything upfront is the best way to keep things moving.
Pinnacle Bank (NE) requires several documents to process a claim, including Certified death certificate (original or certified copy), Government-issued photo ID for claimant, beneficiary, executor, or successor trustee, and Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (for probate estates), 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
To the deceased's branch. Pinnacle Bank is a 72-office community bank that keeps decisions local: it publishes no central estate-claims department, no claims fax, no claims email, and no online claim form, so the deceased's branch plus the 1-800-227-7715 line (Mon-Fri 8am-8pm CST, Sat-Sun 8am-5pm CST) is the entire channel. Find the branch at pinnbank.com/location-search. If the decedent had a trust or agency account with Pinnacle Trust Services rather than a plain deposit account, ask for a trust officer: the Omaha trust office is at 13131 West Dodge Road, Omaha, NE 68154 (fax 402-697-8887) and the Lincoln office at 3939 South Street, Lincoln, NE 68506 (fax 402-437-9298). Several Pinnacle trust officers are attorneys or hold the CTFA designation and handle trust and estate administration directly. Trust accounts are not FDIC insured; deposit accounts are (FDIC cert #10634).
Nebraska law allows it, and it is the usual route for a modest Pinnacle deposit account with no POD beneficiary and no joint owner. Under Neb. Rev. Stat. 30-24,125, a successor can collect a decedent's personal property by affidavit if the value of ALL personal property in the estate statewide, less liens and encumbrances, does not exceed $100,000 and at least 30 days have elapsed since the death, with no personal representative appointed or pending. Bring the affidavit, a certified death certificate, and your photo ID to the branch. If the deposit account has a POD beneficiary or a surviving joint owner, you do not need the affidavit at all -- the account passes outside probate on the death certificate and ID. Above the $100,000 personal property line, expect the branch to require Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
A POD (Payable on Death) designation lets you name one or more people or a trust to receive the funds in your Pinnacle Bank deposit accounts after your death, without probate. Upon your death, the named beneficiary presents a certified death certificate and valid photo ID at any branch to claim the account funds. Named POD beneficiaries override instructions in your will. You can designate primary and contingent beneficiaries on checking, savings, money market, and CD accounts. There is no fee to set up a POD designation. Visit a Pinnacle Bank branch with your photo ID to complete the designation form. For FDIC insurance purposes, each qualifying beneficiary is insured up to $250,000 separately from the account owner's other deposits.
When a Pinnacle Bank IRA account holder dies, the named beneficiary contacts Pinnacle Bank at 1-800-227-7715 or visits a branch to initiate the claim. The beneficiary must provide a certified death certificate and valid government-issued photo ID. Distribution options depend on the beneficiary's relationship to the deceased and the IRA agreement terms. Surviving spouses generally have additional options, including treating the inherited IRA as their own. Non-spouse beneficiaries are generally subject to the 10-year rule under the SECURE Act. If no beneficiary is designated, the IRA passes to the estate and is subject to probate. IRAs cannot be retitled to a trust, but a trust can be named as IRA beneficiary.
They go opposite directions. The Pinnacle Bank/Bank of Colorado Credit Card Agreement (rev. 12/24) treats death as an event of default: under Section O, if the cardholder dies, Pinnacle may -- without notice -- suspend the credit, close the account, cancel every card issued on it, and require immediate payment of the entire balance, including charges not yet posted. The balance becomes a creditor claim against the estate; heirs are not personally liable, though a joint cardholder is. Cancel the cards at 1-855-325-0903 (24/7) and request a payoff statement. A mortgage is the opposite: the federal Garn-St. Germain Act (12 U.S.C. 1701j-3) bars Pinnacle from calling the loan when the home passes at death to a spouse, a child or relative, or the borrower's revocable living trust. There the heir goes through Pinnacle's Successor in Interest process (1-800-227-7715), keeps making the monthly payments during review, and then continues, assumes, refinances, or pays off the loan.
Pinnacle Bank (NE)'s Customer Service (deceased accounts are handled by the deceased's local branch; there is no central estate-claims unit) can be reached by phone at 1-800-227-7715 for questions throughout the claims process.
If the deceased held multiple Pinnacle Bank (NE) accounts, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The Pinnacle Trust Services can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.
Sources
Data sourced from Pinnacle Bank (NE) primary sources (26 pages reviewed). How we research.
Customer Service
Phone1-800-227-7715
Business Banking (Mon-Fri 8am-8pm CST)
Business Premium Online Banking (Mon-Fri 8am-6pm CST)
Bill Pay Support (Daily 7am-10pm CST)
Lost/Stolen Debit Card (24/7)
Debit Card Activation/PIN (24/7)
Lost/Stolen Credit Card (24/7)
Diamond Secure Identity Fraud (Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm EST)
Mortgage Center
WebsiteLearn more→
Pinnacle Trust Services
Phone402-697-0050
Toll-Free1-800-227-7715
Fax402-697-8887
Mailing Address
Pinnacle Trust Services, 13131 West Dodge Road, Omaha, NE 68154 (fax 402-697-8887). Lincoln trust office: 3939 South Street, Lincoln, NE 68506 (fax 402-437-9298).
Pat Garrett, President - Pinnacle Trust Services (Omaha)
Jack Rice, Trust Officer - trust and estate administration (Omaha)
Jessica Sheldrick, AVP Trust Officer (Omaha)
Janae Knoell, AVP Trust Officer (Omaha)
Mark Kisker, Senior VP Trust Officer (Lincoln)
Jennifer Jensen, AVP Trust Officer (Lincoln)
Clare Dorshorst, Trust Officer (Lincoln)
Vern Schulte, Trust Officer (Columbus)
Lynda Anderson, AVP Trust Officer (Beatrice)
WebsiteLearn more→
Customer Service (deceased accounts are handled by the deceased's local branch; there is no central estate-claims unit)
Phone1-800-227-7715
Toll-Free1-800-227-7715
Mailing Address
Pinnacle Bank, 1401 N Street, Lincoln, NE 68508 (main office). Estate paperwork is normally delivered to the deceased's branch -- locate it at https://www.pinnbank.com/location-search
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your Pinnacle Bank (NE) accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
