What to do when a SouthState Bank account holder dies
Contact SouthState Bank's SouthState Wealth - Estate Settlement — 8-step process, 5 required documents, and varies based on account type and documentation
Phone1-800-277-2175
Mailing Address
SouthState Bank, PO Box 118068, Charleston, SC 29423
Phone Banking (24/7)
BillPay Support (24/7)
After Hours Debit Card Support
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SouthState Wealth - Estate Settlement
WebsiteLearn more →
Death Claims / Customer Care
Phone1-800-277-2175
Toll-Free1-800-277-2175
Mailing Address
SouthState Bank, ATTN: Inquiries, PO Box 118068, Charleston, SC 29423
Verified Feb 2026
When a SouthState 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 SouthState Bank's SouthState Wealth - Estate Settlement (1-800-277-2175) to access and distribute the funds.
The claim process begins with a phone call to 1-800-277-2175. Have the account holder's full name, account numbers, and a certified death certificate available when making initial contact.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
Here is the step-by-step death claim process at SouthState Bank:
Filing a claim
1Contact SouthState Bank Customer Care at 1-800-277-2175 or visit a local branch to notify of the death
2Provide the deceased account holder's full name and account information
3Submit a certified death certificate
4For POD accounts: surviving beneficiary provides death certificate and valid government-issued ID; funds pass equally to surviving beneficiaries after deducting any fees owed
5For joint accounts with rights of survivorship: funds pass to surviving owner(s)
6For non-POD accounts: executor or personal representative provides Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration
7If no POD and no surviving beneficiary, funds are paid to the last owner's estate
8SouthState Wealth can serve as Personal Representative or as agent for the Personal Representative in estate settlement
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for beneficiary or representative
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if no POD designation)
- Trust documents (if trust is named as beneficiary)
- Small Estate Affidavit (if applicable under state law)
SouthState Wealth provides estate settlement agency services and can serve as Personal Representative or as agent for the Personal Representative. SouthState Wealth offices are located in South Carolina (Columbia, Charleston, Greenville, Spartanburg, Hilton Head and Bluffton), Georgia (Savannah and Augusta), and Virginia (Richmond). Bank has no obligation to notify beneficiaries of the existence of a POD account. Contact a Private Wealth Advisor at southstatebank.com/wealth/contact-a-wealth-advisor for estate settlement assistance. Phone Banking: 1-800-763-0555 (24 hours). After-hours debit card support: 1-855-908-4495.
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 SouthState Bank of the borrower's death by calling Customer Care at 1-800-277-2175
2Provide the deceased borrower's full legal name, Social Security number, and mortgage loan number
3Submit a certified copy of the death certificate
4Request the Successor in Interest documentation package from the representative
5Complete and return the Successor in Interest documentation with proof of your ownership interest in the property (e.g., probated will, court order, recorded deed, or trust document)
6SouthState will review your documentation and confirm your status as a Successor in Interest under CFPB mortgage servicing rules
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
- 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)
Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act (12 U.S.C. 1701j-3), SouthState 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. Some mortgage loans may be serviced by a third party on SouthState's behalf -- contact Customer Care to determine your servicer. Phone Banking: 1-800-763-0555 (24 hours). SouthState Wealth can assist with estate settlement: southstatebank.com/wealth/contact-a-wealth-advisor.
Processing timelines at SouthState Bank: Varies based on account type and documentation. Incomplete documentation is the most common cause of delays—submitting all required documents with the initial claim helps avoid additional processing time.
SouthState Bank requires several documents to process a claim, including Certified death certificate, Government-issued photo ID for beneficiary or representative, and Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if no POD designation), 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
Visit a SouthState Bank branch to update your signature card with a POD (Payable on Death) beneficiary designation. Changes must be made in writing on the signature card. Beneficiary designations cannot be added or changed online, by phone, or by mail. You can also add a beneficiary during the initial account opening process. You will need to provide each beneficiary's legal name, date of birth, and SSN or address.
If you have POD beneficiaries designated on your signature card, funds pass to surviving beneficiaries equally after deducting any fees owed. For joint accounts with rights of survivorship, funds pass to the surviving owner(s). Without POD or surviving owners, accounts go through probate. The bank is not obligated to notify beneficiaries of the existence of a POD account.
Contact SouthState Bank Customer Care at 1-800-277-2175 (Monday-Friday 7:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. ET, Saturday 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. ET) or visit a local branch to report the death. You will need the deceased account holder's name and account information. Required documents include a certified death certificate and government-issued photo ID. For non-POD accounts, Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from probate court are also required. SouthState Wealth can assist with estate settlement through their Private Wealth Advisors.
SouthState Bank's Death Claims / Customer Care can be reached by phone at 1-800-277-2175 for questions throughout the claims process.
If the deceased held multiple SouthState Bank accounts, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The SouthState Wealth - Estate Settlement can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.
Phone1-800-277-2175
Mailing Address
SouthState Bank, PO Box 118068, Charleston, SC 29423
Phone Banking (24/7)
BillPay Support (24/7)
After Hours Debit Card Support
WebsiteLearn more →
SouthState Wealth - Estate Settlement
WebsiteLearn more →
Death Claims / Customer Care
Phone1-800-277-2175
Toll-Free1-800-277-2175
Mailing Address
SouthState Bank, ATTN: Inquiries, PO Box 118068, Charleston, SC 29423
Verified Feb 2026
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