What to do when a Premier Members CU account holder dies
Report the death to Premier Members CU at 1-303-657-7135
Premier Members CU operates under a new nameRebranded, effective August 2025
Premier Members Credit Union and Meritrust Credit Union of Wichita, Kansas combined on August 1, 2025, and the credit union now operates in Colorado and Kansas under the Meritrust Credit Union name. The NCUA lists the former PMCU charter (No. 62574) as Meritrust, headquartered at 360 Interlocken Blvd, Broomfield, Colorado. Colorado members are served at colorado.meritrust.org with routing number 307074535, and estate matters are governed by the Meritrust Member Service Agreement. Not the same institution as Premier America Credit Union of Chatsworth, California.
Premier Members CU coordinates account transitions after a member's death. How each account is handled depends on its setup: POD and trust accounts transfer automatically, while solely-owned accounts typically require court authorization through Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
The claim process can be initiated by phone at 1-303-657-7135 or by sending documentation to DepositAdmin@meritrust.org. Have the account holder's full name, account numbers, and the death certificate available when making initial contact.
Death claim process
Follow these steps to file a death claim with Premier Members CU:
Filing a claim
- The deceased individual or the personal representative must be an existing member
- Colorado court certified copy of Letters Testamentary
- Letter from the IRS issuing the estate's Tax ID Number
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificateCertified copies for all owners on a multiple-owner account.
- Proof of the representative's or claimant's authoritySuch as Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
- ID, SSN, birthdate and physical address of the claimantMeritrust may also require other identification, such as a second form of ID or a thumbprint or fingerprint.
- Will, as it applies
- Marriage certificates, as they apply
- Divorce decree, as it applies
- Trust documents, as they apply
- Deed, as it applies
- Vehicle titles, as they apply
- Safe deposit box information and key, as they apply
- Colorado court certified copy of Letters Testamentary, to open an estate account
- IRS letter issuing the estate's Tax ID Number, to open an estate account
What happens to each kind of account6
- Joint account with survivorship
Multiple-owner accounts carry a right of survivorship. A surviving joint owner can keep transacting while the account is classified as joint, and the account is eventually retitled to the surviving owner if they are eligible for membership.1
- Payable-on-death account
Each payable-on-death payee claims an equal share by presenting proof of the owner's death and the payee's ID. Meritrust may require a certified copy of the death certificate and each payee's ID, SSN, birthdate and physical address.1
- Account in one name
With no surviving owner or payable-on-death payee, the funds belong to the estate. The representative of the estate, or another claimant such as a creditor or relative, may claim them and must prove authority with documentation.1
- Safe deposit box
A claim on a safe deposit box carries the same identity checks: ID, SSN, birthdate, physical address, and other identifying information such as a second form of ID or a thumbprint or fingerprint.1
- Certificate of deposit
A share certificate may be paid before maturity without an early withdrawal penalty when an owner dies, at the credit union's option.2
- Loan
For consumer loans (auto, signature loan, ULOC), Meritrust applies for CUNA Credit Life insurance if applicable and tells the estate's point of contact the outstanding balance.3
Balances become the responsibility of any co-signer or co-borrower or of the member's estate. The executor or administrator pays them off or provides the documentation needed to file a claim against the estate.3
What Premier Members CU's agreement and guidance say7
- What it does when notified
Accounts are not frozen automatically at death. Meritrust may continue to honor all actions and transactions on an account until it receives a certified copy of the owner's death certificate, with proof of the representative's or claimant's authority and identification.1
On notice of death Meritrust may suspend products and services, begin terminating products, services, account numbers and membership, collect outstanding obligations, and prepare to disburse funds.1
- Indemnity a claimant may have to give
An estate representative or claimant may be required to indemnify and hold the credit union harmless before funds are released.1
- Who can get account information
Account information is released only after a person establishes legal authority. Once court or probate documentation naming the estate administrator is provided, the administrator is entitled to all account information.1
- Debts owed to the institution
Money the deceased member owed Meritrust may be repaid from the accounts before anything is distributed to the estate or a payable-on-death payee. Its lien and set-off rights reach directly deposited government benefits such as Social Security, but not retirement accounts.1
- Deposits after the death
Federal direct deposits, such as Social Security, VA or DFAS payments, received on or after the date of death are returned to the paying agency.1
- How proceeds are paid
Meritrust may pay a claim by issuing a check payable to the deceased owner's estate.1
- Disputes between claimants
If there is a dispute or uncertainty about who is entitled to the funds, Meritrust may hold the funds or deposit them with a court.1
Not in Premier Members CU's published guidance1
- A claim form
Premier Members CU can be reached by phone at 1-303-657-7135 and email at DepositAdmin@meritrust.org for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
Data sourced from Premier Members CU primary sources (32 pages reviewed). How we research.
Premier Members CU death claims support
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your Premier Members CU accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
Is this your situation?
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
Forms for Settling an Estate
Free forms for settling an estate: the probate petition, small estate affidavit, notice to creditors, inventory, and closing forms.
Digital Assets Recovery Letter
Prepare a letter requesting a deceased person's online accounts, points, and balances from the program that holds them.
Petition for Probate and Letters
Open probate and ask the court to appoint you and issue Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
Notice to Creditors
Notify estate creditors and start the claim period — the published notice plus mailed copies for known creditors.
Renunciation of Executor
Decline an appointment as executor named in a will — the writing filed with the court before anyone is appointed.
Affidavit of Heirship
Prepare the sworn statement of a deceased person's family history and heirs for recording in the county land records, with your state's recording instructions.
Small Estate Affidavit
Collect a small estate's property without probate — the sworn affidavit presented to banks and other holders, with a presentation letter for each.
Tools for Settling an Estate
Free tools for settling an estate: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines, and inheritance taxes.
How Many Death Certificates Do I Need?
Calculate how many certified death certificates you need and see ordering info for your state.
Do I Need Probate?
Find out if an estate needs probate or qualifies for simplified procedures.
Do I Have to File Tax Returns for Someone Who Died?
Find out which tax returns need to be filed after someone dies and whether tax clearance is required.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Personalized plan for settling an estate after someone passes away.
What Do I Do When Someone Dies?
A step-by-step checklist for the days, weeks, and months after a death, with state rules noted where they apply.
How Much Are Estate & Inheritance Taxes?
Calculate federal estate tax, state estate tax, and inheritance tax for an estate.
