What to do when a SCCU account holder dies
Report the death to SCCU's Operations at 1-800-447-7228
When a member of SCCU passes away, the Operations handles the transition of accounts to beneficiaries or the estate. Accounts with Payable on Death designations or trust ownership transfer outside of probate, while solely-owned accounts may require Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from the probate court.
Claims can be filed by phone (1-800-447-7228) or by emailing documentation to OperationsDocuments@SCCU.com. Before reaching out, gather the account holder's full name, account numbers, and the death certificate.
Death claim process
The death claim process at SCCU works as follows:
Filing a claim
- SCCU asks for the deceased member's full legal name and Social Security number to identify the accounts.
- SCCU verifies your role with the estate (for example executor, joint account owner, or next of kin) and confirms your contact information.
- A photocopy of either the Short Form or the Long Form death certificate is accepted.
- Submit by email (OperationsDocuments@SCCU.com), fax (321-751-6912), at a branch, by mail (ATTN: Operations, PO Box 419001, Melbourne, FL 32941), or through an Online Banking secure form.
Required Documents
- Copy of the death certificateA photocopy of the Short Form or the Long Form is accepted. A Long Form certificate is required for a Credit Life Insurance claim, which SCCU can file on your behalf.
- Your ID
- Most recent and complete trust document, with amendments, for trust accounts
- Probate documents, for a business account, or an account with no beneficiaryLetters of Administration for a business account without a joint owner.
What happens to each kind of account2
State law on paying a balance without lettersFlorida
- Florida
Fla. Stat. § 735.303
Florida law permits a credit union to pay from a deceased member'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 credit union to make it. The section sets further conditions.
What SCCU provides to the estate1
- Statement copies
Personal representatives, executors, curators, and successor trustees may receive statements from the date of death after the approval process.1
What SCCU's agreement and guidance say7
- What it does when notified
After notification, SCCU reviews the membership. It places holds on accounts, closes the ATM card or blocks credit cards, cancels recurring payments, automatic transfers and auto pay transactions, and suspends fees and charges.1
- Online access
SCCU deactivates Online and Mobile Banking, including Bill Pay. Online Banking is disabled once SCCU receives the death certificate.1
- Deposits after the death
SCCU returns government benefits such as Social Security.1
- Who can get account information
Joint owners, co-borrowers, and verified court-appointed personal representatives of the estate and trustees can access the account. Beneficiaries are not given account details.1
- Wills, probate and small estates
Wills are not accepted as documentation for funds disbursement.1
- Payments after the death
Under the Membership and Account Agreement, SCCU may pay checks drawn on a deceased member's account for ten days after death unless a person claiming an interest instructs it to stop.2
- Indemnity a claimant may have to give
Under the Membership and Account Agreement, SCCU may require anyone claiming funds from a deceased owner's account to indemnify it.2
SCCU's Operations can be reached by phone at 1-800-447-7228, email at OperationsDocuments@SCCU.com, and fax at 1-321-751-6912 for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
Data sourced from SCCU primary sources (29 pages reviewed). How we research.
SCCU death claims support
Operations
Phone
Toll-free
Fax
Mailing address
Website
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