What to do when a Step account holder dies
Contact Step — 5-step process, 4 required documents, and timeline varies; fintech apps may require coordination with partner banks and broker-dealers
Step Customer Support
380 Portage Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306
Step Customer Support
380 Portage Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306
Step Customer Support
380 Portage Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306
When an account holder at Step 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 Step's Step Customer Support (1-888-978-2682) to access and distribute the funds.
Gather the account holder's full name, date of birth, and any known account or policy numbers before contacting Step. A certified death certificate is the primary document required to start any claim.
Death claim process
Follow these steps to file a death claim with Step:
Filing a claim
- Email Step at support@step.com or hello@step.com, use in-app chat, or call 1-888-978-2682 (Monday-Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. PT)
- Provide the deceased account holder's full name and account information
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for the executor or personal representative
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from probate court
- Small Estate Affidavit (if applicable under state law)
What to know at this institution
Step does not publicly document a formal death claim or estate settlement process. As a fintech, Step relies on partner institutions: Evolve Bank & Trust for deposit accounts, DriveWealth for stock investments, and Zero Hash for crypto holdings. Each partner may have separate claim requirements. Crypto assets are not FDIC or SIPC insured. Contact Step at support@step.com, hello@step.com, via in-app chat, or by phone at 1-888-978-2682 to initiate the process.
Opening 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.
Does Step offer estate accounts? →How long the process takes at Step: Timeline varies; fintech apps may require coordination with partner banks and broker-dealers. The most common reason for delays is missing or incomplete documentation, so submitting everything upfront is the best way to keep things moving.
To process a claim, Step needs Certified death certificate, Government-issued photo ID for the executor or personal representative, Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from probate court, and Small Estate Affidavit (if applicable under state law). Death certificates and court documents must be certified copies—photocopies are not accepted.
Frequently asked questions
Step does not publicly document POD (Payable on Death) beneficiary designations, TOD (Transfer on Death) registrations, or trust account retitling for any of its products. All Step accounts (spending, savings, investing) are treated as probate-required for estate purposes. Upon an account holder's death, heirs will typically need Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration to access the accounts through probate. For specific guidance, contact Step at support@step.com or 1-888-978-2682.
Step's crypto holdings are powered by Zero Hash and are not FDIC-insured or SIPC-insured. The Step account agreement states that an authorized user's authority is automatically terminated upon the death of any account owner. Heirs seeking to claim crypto assets would need to contact Step customer support (support@step.com or 1-888-978-2682) and coordinate with Zero Hash directly, as each partner institution may have separate claim requirements. Crypto assets with no documented transfer method are at heightened risk of loss if access credentials are not preserved.
Step's Step Customer Support can be reached by phone at 1-888-978-2682 and email at support@step.com for questions throughout the claims process.
If the deceased held multiple Step accounts, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The Step Customer Support can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.
Sources
Data sourced from Step primary sources (11 pages reviewed). How we research.
Step Customer Support
380 Portage Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306
Step Customer Support
380 Portage Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306
Step Customer Support
380 Portage Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306
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