What to do when a Simmons Bank account holder dies
Contact Simmons Bank — 8-step process, 8 required documents, and 5-10 business days for initial review after complete documentation is received; processing may take longer for accounts requiring probate
Simmons Bank, Customer Service Center, P.O. Box 7009, Pine Bluff, AR 71611
Simmons Bank, Customer Service Center, P.O. Box 7009, Pine Bluff, AR 71611
Death Claims
Simmons Bank, P.O. Box 7009, Pine Bluff, AR 71611
When an account holder at Simmons 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 Simmons Bank's Death Claims (1-866-246-2400) to access and distribute the funds.
Before contacting Simmons Bank, have the account holder's full name, date of birth, and any available account numbers ready. A certified death certificate is required to initiate the claim.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
Here is the step-by-step death claim process at Simmons Bank:
Filing a claim
- Provide a certified copy of the death certificate
- Provide valid government-issued photo ID for the beneficiary
- Provide a certified copy of the death certificate
- Provide trust documentation showing the successor trustee provision
- Provide government-issued photo ID for the successor trustee
- Provide probate documents such as Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration
- Or provide a small estate affidavit if applicable under state law
- Provide a certified copy of the death certificate and beneficiary identification
- Complete any required IRA distribution or inherited IRA forms
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Valid government-issued photo ID for the claimant (beneficiary, executor, or successor trustee)
- Account information for the deceased
- For accounts without beneficiary: Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from probate court
- For small estates: small estate affidavit (where permitted under state law)
- For trust accounts: trust documentation showing successor trustee provisions, signature and notary pages, and any amendments
- For IRA accounts: IRA distribution or inherited IRA forms as applicable
- Written instructions on preferred distribution method
What to know at this institution
For accounts with named POD beneficiaries, funds typically transfer directly to the beneficiary upon receipt of the death certificate and valid identification. If multiple POD beneficiaries survive, they own the account in equal shares with right of survivorship. In-branch visits are recommended for the most efficient processing. Per Arkansas law and Simmons Bank terms, the bank may pay or certify checks drawn on or before the date of death for up to ten days after death unless ordered to stop by someone claiming an interest in the account. For Private Wealth Management trust accounts, contact the Private Wealth team directly for estate administration assistance.
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.
- Full legal name, Social Security number, and mortgage loan number
- Submit a certified copy of the death certificate
- Include proof of your ownership interest in the property (e.g., probated will, court order, recorded deed, or trust document)
- Simmons Bank will review your documentation and confirm your status as a Successor in Interest under CFPB mortgage servicing rules
- Continue making payments, apply for loss mitigation, assume the loan, refinance, or pay off the balance
- If experiencing financial difficulty, call 1-877-876-3500 (option 3) for mortgage payment assistance
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for the heir or personal representative
- Completed Successor in Interest documentation
- Documentation proving ownership interest in the property (one or more of the following): probated will naming you as heir, court order of succession, recorded deed transferring ownership, trust document showing you as successor trustee or beneficiary
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if going through probate)
- Marriage certificate (if surviving spouse)
Claims Contact
Phone: 1-866-246-2400
Simmons Bank, Attn: Loss Mitigation Dept., 601 E. 3rd Street, 6th Floor, Little Rock, AR 72201
What to know at this institution
Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act (12 U.S.C. 1701j-3), Simmons 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 and loss mitigation options. Loss mitigation department: 1-877-876-3500 (option 3).
Prepare your letter of instruction to Simmons Bank
Simmons Bank accepts a claimant-drafted letter of instruction. We draft it for you — addressed to Simmons Bank'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 Simmons Bank →Expected timelines at Simmons Bank: 5-10 business days for initial review after complete documentation is received; processing may take longer for accounts requiring probate. Delays are almost always caused by incomplete paperwork—gathering all required documents before filing the initial claim helps avoid back-and-forth.
Simmons Bank requires several documents to process a claim, including Certified copy of the death certificate, Valid government-issued photo ID for the claimant (beneficiary, executor, or successor trustee), and Account information for the deceased, 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
Per Simmons Bank's Personal Terms and Conditions, a POD beneficiary cannot access account funds until all persons who created the account have died and the beneficiary is alive at that time. If multiple POD beneficiaries survive, they own the account in equal shares with right of survivorship. During the account owner's lifetime, the owner retains full control and may change beneficiaries, change account types, or withdraw all funds at any time. To claim a POD account after the owner's death, the beneficiary must present a certified copy of the death certificate and valid government-issued photo ID at a branch or by mail to P.O. Box 7009, Pine Bluff, AR 71611.
Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act (12 U.S.C. 1701j-3), Simmons Bank cannot enforce a due-on-sale clause when the property is transferred to the borrower's revocable living trust, as long as the borrower remains a beneficiary and the transfer does not relate to a change of occupancy. This means a homeowner may transfer their Simmons Bank-mortgaged property into a revocable trust for estate planning purposes without triggering a loan acceleration. Upon the borrower's death, heirs or successor trustees who assume ownership may be entitled to Successor in Interest status under CFPB mortgage servicing rules, which allows them to be treated as borrowers for purposes of account information and loss mitigation options.
Simmons Bank's Death Claims can be reached by phone at 1-866-246-2400 and email at support@simmonsbank.com for questions throughout the claims process.
If the deceased held multiple Simmons Bank accounts, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The Death Claims can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.
Sources
Data sourced from Simmons Bank primary sources (17 pages reviewed). How we research.
Simmons Bank, Customer Service Center, P.O. Box 7009, Pine Bluff, AR 71611
Simmons Bank, Customer Service Center, P.O. Box 7009, Pine Bluff, AR 71611
Death Claims
Simmons Bank, P.O. Box 7009, Pine Bluff, AR 71611
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