What to do when a Popular Bank account holder dies
Contact Popular Bank's Popular Private Client Trust Services — 11-step process, 10 required documents, and varies; puerto rico estates may take longer due to civil law requirements
Phone1-800-377-0800
Mailing Address
Popular Bank Customer Care Center, P.O. Box 4906, Miami Lakes, FL 33014-8500
TTY/TDD
WebsiteLearn more →
Popular Private Client Trust Services
Phone1-888-588-8419
Puerto Rico Trust Department
NYC Headquarters
WebsiteLearn more →
Death Claims / Estate Processing
Phone1-800-377-0800
Mailing Address
Banco Popular de Puerto Rico Estate Processing (696), PO Box 362708, San Juan, PR 00936-2708 (Puerto Rico accounts); Popular Bank Customer Care Center, P.O. Box 4906, Miami Lakes, FL 33014-8500 (mainland accounts)
TeleBanco Popular (Puerto Rico)
Verified Mar 2026
When a Popular Bank 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 Popular Bank's Popular Private Client Trust Services (1-800-377-0800) to access and distribute the funds.
Gather the account holder's full name, date of birth, and any known account or policy numbers before contacting Popular Bank. A certified death certificate is the primary document required to start any claim.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
Here is the step-by-step death claim process at Popular Bank:
Filing a claim
1Contact Popular Bank at 1-800-377-0800 or visit a local branch to notify of the death
2Accounts are frozen upon notification; debit cards stop working
3Submit certified death certificate and government-issued photo ID for the requestor
4Complete Request for Certification of Banking Relationships (Form BRA-1031A)
5For POD accounts: beneficiary provides death certificate and valid photo ID for fund release
6For non-POD accounts: provide Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from probate court
7For Puerto Rico estates: submit testament with validity certification from Registry of Powers and Wills; or Declaration of Heirs if no will
8If minor heirs receive $2,000+, court authorization and birth certificate required
9For incapacitated heirs: guardian letters and court resolution required
10Submit Requirements for Advancement or Disbursement form (Form BRA-1032A) to request funds
11Final liquidation: bank issues one check to all heirs and joint owners
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for requestor (driver's license, passport, or Social Security card)
- Request for Certification of Banking Relationships (Form BRA-1031A)
- Requirements for Advancement or Disbursement form (Form BRA-1032A)
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if no POD designation)
- Testament with validity certification from Registry of Powers and Wills (Puerto Rico)
- Declaration of Heirs or Notarized Act of Declaration of Heirs (if no will, Puerto Rico)
- Birth certificate (if minor heirs)
- Court authorization (if minor heirs receiving $2,000+)
- Guardian letters and court resolution (if incapacitated heirs)
Puerto Rico uses civil law for estate administration, which differs from common law states. Puerto Rico law allows an advance of up to $15,000 or 25% of total deposits (whichever is greater) before the Release of Inheritance. Maximum funeral expense payment: $15,000 or available funds (whichever is less). Small estates under $2,000 may qualify for simplified processing. Contact TeleBanco Popular at 787-724-3650 for Puerto Rico accounts.
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.
1Notify Popular Bank of the borrower's death by calling Customer Service at 1-888-500-2612 or visiting a local branch
2Provide the deceased borrower's full legal name, date of death, and loan number
3Submit a certified copy of the death certificate
4Submit documentation proving your ownership interest in the property (probated will, court order, deed, or trust document)
5For Puerto Rico mortgages: submit testament with validity certification from Registry of Powers and Wills, or Declaration of Heirs if no will
6Popular Bank will review your documentation and confirm your status as a Successor in Interest
7Once confirmed, you will have access to loan information and can discuss options: continue making payments, apply for loss mitigation, assume the loan, refinance, or pay off the balance
8Continue 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)
- Testament with validity certification from Registry of Powers and Wills (Puerto Rico)
- Declaration of Heirs or Notarized Act of Declaration of Heirs (if no will, Puerto Rico)
Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act (12 U.S.C. 1701j-3), Popular 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. Confirmed Successors in Interest are treated as borrowers under CFPB mortgage servicing rules and are entitled to account information, loss mitigation options, and assumption rights. Popular Mortgage (via Rate): 1-844-211-9098 or PopularBank@Rate.com. Puerto Rico mortgage inquiries: contact Banco Popular de Puerto Rico. Popular Private Client: 1-888-588-8419.
Processing timelines at Popular Bank: Varies; Puerto Rico estates may take longer due to civil law requirements. Incomplete documentation is the most common cause of delays—submitting all required documents with the initial claim helps avoid additional processing time.
Popular Bank requires several documents to process a claim, including Certified death certificate, Government-issued photo ID for requestor (driver's license, passport, or Social Security card), and Request for Certification of Banking Relationships (Form BRA-1031A), 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
Log in to Popular Online Banking and send a secure message requesting a POD (Payable on Death) beneficiary designation. Provide the last 4 digits of your account number, beneficiary name, address, date of birth, relationship, and Social Security number. You can also visit a branch in person to complete the designation.
Call 1-800-377-0800 (mainland U.S.) or TeleBanco Popular at 787-724-3650 (Puerto Rico). You can also visit a local branch. Accounts are frozen upon notification and debit cards stop working. You will need a certified death certificate, government-issued photo ID, and Form BRA-1031A (Request for Certification of Banking Relationships).
Accounts are frozen upon notification of death. Puerto Rico law allows an advance of up to $15,000 or 25% of total deposits (whichever is greater) before the Release of Inheritance is issued. Maximum funeral expense payment is $15,000 or available funds (whichever is less). Final liquidation results in one check issued to all heirs and joint owners. Puerto Rico uses civil law for estate administration, which differs from mainland U.S. common law states.
Popular Bank's Death Claims / Estate Processing can be reached by phone at 1-800-377-0800 for questions throughout the claims process.
If the deceased held multiple Popular Bank accounts, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The Popular Private Client Trust Services can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.
Phone1-800-377-0800
Mailing Address
Popular Bank Customer Care Center, P.O. Box 4906, Miami Lakes, FL 33014-8500
TTY/TDD
WebsiteLearn more →
Popular Private Client Trust Services
Phone1-888-588-8419
Puerto Rico Trust Department
NYC Headquarters
WebsiteLearn more →
Death Claims / Estate Processing
Phone1-800-377-0800
Mailing Address
Banco Popular de Puerto Rico Estate Processing (696), PO Box 362708, San Juan, PR 00936-2708 (Puerto Rico accounts); Popular Bank Customer Care Center, P.O. Box 4906, Miami Lakes, FL 33014-8500 (mainland accounts)
TeleBanco Popular (Puerto Rico)
Verified Mar 2026
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