What to do when a Republic Bank account holder dies
Report the death to Republic Bank at 1-888-584-3600
When an account holder at Republic Bank 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 Republic Bank to access and distribute the funds.
The first step is contacting Republic Bank with the account holder's full name, account numbers, and the death certificate in hand.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
Follow these steps to file a death claim with Republic Bank:
Filing a claim
Required Documents
- Documentation that certifies the account owner's deathRepublic's account rules say it "may require certain documentation necessary to certify that death".
- Documentation that substantiates the appointment of the estate's administrator or executorRepublic may require it to "substantiate that a particular individual has been appointed officially as the administrator/executor of the applicable estate."
State law on paying a balance without lettersFlorida, Kentucky, Tennessee
- Florida
Fla. Stat. § 735.303
Florida law permits a bank to pay from a deceased depositor's balance on an affidavit made under oath, without letters testamentary or letters of administration.Fla. Stat. § 735.303Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
Paid to: family member (surviving spouse; else adult child; else adult descendant; else parent)
Limit: $2,000 held at the institution and $2,000 in total from every holder
When: not earlier than 6 months after the date of the decedent’s death
The section permits the payment. It does not require the bank to make it. The section sets further conditions.
- Kentucky
KRS 391.030(2)
Kentucky law directs a bank to pay from a deceased depositor's balance on an order of the court, without letters testamentary or letters of administration.KRS 391.030(2)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
Paid to: surviving spouse
Limit: $2,500 in total from every holder
The section sets further conditions.
- Tennessee
T.C.A. § 45-2-708
Tennessee law permits a bank to pay from a deceased depositor's balance on proof the institution accepts, without letters testamentary or letters of administration.T.C.A. § 45-2-708Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
Limit: $15,000 held at the institution
When: 30 days after the death
Paid to: the executor named in any will known to the institution; in the absence of knowledge of a purported will naming a surviving executor: a creditor for expenses of the funeral; a creditor for the expenses of the last illness; the surviving spouse; the next of kin
The section permits the payment. It does not require the bank to make it. The section sets further conditions.
T.C.A. § 30-2-103(b)(2)
Tennessee law permits a bank to pay from a deceased depositor's balance on proof the institution accepts, without letters testamentary or letters of administration.T.C.A. § 30-2-103(b)(2)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
Limit: $10,000 held at the institution
When: six (6) months have passed since the decedent's death without an application being made for the appointment of a personal representative
Paid to: the surviving spouse of a decedent or a trust for the benefit of the surviving spouse; if no surviving spouse exists, the surviving children of the decedent as tenants in common or a trust for the benefit of any surviving children (in that order)
The section permits the payment. It does not require the bank to make it. The section sets further conditions.
What Republic Bank's agreement and guidance say7
- Telling the institution
"The survivor(s) on a joint Account must notify us of any other owner's death."1
- What it does when notified
"Where appropriate, we may limit access to or withdrawals from an Account following the death of the Account owner, pending receipt of appropriate documentation authorizing access to the Account."1
- Powers of attorney
"All Powers of Attorney (POAs) on file with Republic for an Account cease to be in effect upon the death of the grantor Account Holder."1
- Deposits after the death
Republic may take or set off funds in any of the owner's individual or joint accounts for amounts it becomes liable for because recurring payments were credited to an account after the recipient's death. The clause "does not apply to IRA or tax-qualified retirement Accounts."1
- Payments after the death
Republic reserves the right not to pay any check that is more than six months old.1
- Which state governs the account
The Deposit Account Rules are governed by Kentucky law.1
- Arbitration
The arbitration provision defines "you" to include each owner and "their respective heirs, successors, representatives and beneficiaries (including pay-on-death and similar beneficiaries)". It includes a class action waiver, excludes individual actions in small claims court, and survives the closing of the account.1
Not in Republic Bank's published guidance5
- A procedure for reporting a death
- A claim form
- A department for deceased-customer accounts
- Whether the death certificate must be certified
- Which court appointment document it accepts
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.
Claims Contact
Phone: 1-866-596-2673
Mailing address: Republic Bank, Attn: Loan Servicing, P.O. Box 70749, Louisville, KY 40270
Federal law on calling a home loan after a death
These exemptions apply to a loan secured by residential real property containing less than five dwelling units.12 U.S.C. § 1701j-3(d); 12 CFR 191.5(b), 141.14Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
- A lender may not exercise a due-on-sale clause upon a transfer by devise, descent, or operation of law on the death of a joint tenant or tenant by the entirety.12 U.S.C. § 1701j-3(d)(3); 12 CFR 191.5(b)(1)(iii)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
- A lender may not exercise a due-on-sale clause upon a transfer to a relative resulting from the death of a borrower.12 U.S.C. § 1701j-3(d)(5)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
- A lender may not exercise a due-on-sale clause upon a transfer where the spouse or children of the borrower become an owner of the property.12 U.S.C. § 1701j-3(d)(6)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
A federal regulation sets further conditions on these transfers.12 CFR 191.5(b)(1)(v)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
Not in Republic Bank's published guidance2
- A procedure for reporting a death
- A list of required documents
Claims Contact
Phone: 1-866-596-2673
Mailing address: Republic Bank, Attn: Loan Servicing, P.O. Box 70749, Louisville, KY 40270
Not in Republic Bank's published guidance2
- A procedure for reporting a death
- A list of required documents
Sources
(5)·
Data sourced from Republic Bank primary sources (38 pages reviewed). How we research.
Republic Bank death claims support
Customer Service
Phone
Toll-free
Personal Online Banking and Bill Pay
24-hour Account Access Line (automated)
Lost or stolen ATM/debit card, after regular business hours
Mortgage and retail loan payment and payoff information
Hours
Mailing address
Website
Death notifications go through general customer service.
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your Republic Bank 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: probate petition, small estate affidavit, creditor notice and closing forms. Prepare each form for your state.
Affidavit of Death
Put a joint owner's or a transfer on death deed owner's death on the land records with the affidavit your state's statute names, laid out for recording.
IRS Form 56
Notify the IRS that you are the fiduciary of an estate, a trust or a person, or end a notice filed before, on the official form.
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.
Tools for Settling an Estate
Free tools for settling an estate: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for your state.
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.
What Happens to Jointly Owned Property When an Owner Dies?
See what your state records when a joint tenant with right of survivorship dies: an affidavit, the death certificate or a new deed.
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.
