What to do when a Santa Fe FCU account holder dies
Report the death to Santa Fe FCU at 1-800-733-2804
After a member of Santa Fe FCU dies, Santa Fe FCU manages the transfer of accounts. POD-designated and trust-owned accounts pass directly to beneficiaries. Accounts held solely in the member's name may require probate court documents—Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration—before funds can be released.
Gather the account holder's full name, date of birth, and any known account or policy numbers before contacting Santa Fe FCU.
Death claim process
To file a claim after an account holder's death, here is what Santa Fe FCU requires:
Filing a claim
What happens to each kind of account6
- Account in one name
On a single-party account, ownership passes as part of the owner's estate under the owner's will or by intestacy.1
- Joint account with survivorship
On a joint account with right of survivorship, all sums in the account on the date of death vest in and belong to the surviving party or parties.1
- Payable-on-death account
The funds belong to the surviving P.O.D. beneficiaries, and payment may be made at the request of any named P.O.D. beneficiary then living.1
- Trust account
Funds may be released on the signature of any Trustee, and payment to any Trustee or Successor Trustee discharges the credit union.1
- Certificate of deposit
The early withdrawal penalty does not apply to a withdrawal subsequent to the death of any owner.1
- IRA
The 90-day-dividend withdrawal penalty does not apply to a withdrawal subsequent to the death of the owner.1
State law on paying a balance without lettersTexas
- Texas
Tex. Est. Code § 152.051
Texas law permits a credit union to pay from a deceased member's balance on an order of the court, without letters testamentary or letters of administration.Tex. Est. Code § 152.051Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
Paid to: a funeral home or the applicant, for funeral and burial expenses
Limit: $5,000 in total from every holder
When: the application may be filed "not earlier than the third day after the date of the decedent's death and not later than nine months after the date of the decedent's death"
The section permits the payment. It does not require the credit union to make it. The section sets further conditions.
What Santa Fe FCU's agreement and guidance say1
- Disputes between claimants
If the credit union is in doubt about the parties' interests, it may restrict withdrawals until the dispute or probate matter is resolved by a court or by a written settlement agreement of all parties to the account and any third party claiming the funds. It may recover its attorney's fees and costs from that account.1
Not in Santa Fe FCU's published guidance5
- A procedure for reporting a death
- A claim form
- A list of required documents
- A mailing address for claim documents
- Whether the death certificate must be certified
Sources1
Sources
Data sourced from Santa Fe FCU primary sources (17 pages reviewed). How we research.
Santa Fe FCU death claims support
Member Services
Phone
Amarillo Main Office and Amarillo Downtown Office
Albuquerque, NM Office
Borger, TX Office
Pampa, TX Office
Lubbock, TX Office
Lost or stolen card (after hours)
Mailing address
Website
Death notifications go through general customer service.
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your Santa Fe FCU 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.
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Free tools for settling an estate: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines, and inheritance taxes.
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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.
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A step-by-step checklist for the days, weeks, and months after a death, with state rules noted where they apply.
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