What to do when a Suncoast account holder dies
Report the death to Suncoast at 1-800-999-5887
When a member of Suncoast passes away, Suncoast Trust Services 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.
Gather the account holder's full name, date of birth, and any known account or policy numbers before contacting Suncoast.
Death claim process
To file a claim after an account holder's death, here is what Suncoast requires:
Filing a claim
What happens to each kind of account6
- Account in one name
On an individual account, the owner's interest passes, subject to applicable law, to the owner's estate or to the payable-on-death beneficiary or trust beneficiary.1
- Joint account with survivorship
Rights of survivorship are the default on a joint account. All sums pass to the surviving owner or owners, subject to the credit union's statutory lien for the deceased owner's obligations and any security interest or pledge the deceased owner granted.1
- Joint account without survivorship
The deceased owner's interest passes to his or her estate.1
- Payable-on-death account
The account is payable to all surviving payable-on-death beneficiaries, who own the funds jointly in equal shares without rights of survivorship.1
- Certificate of deposit
Suncoast may pay a share certificate before maturity without an early withdrawal penalty when an account owner dies.2
- Custodial account (UTMA/UGMA)
If the custodian dies, Suncoast may suspend the account until it receives instructions from a person authorized by law or a court order.1
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.
Accounts handled elsewhere1
- Suncoast Trust Services (Members Trust Company)
Estate administration, valuation and settlement services; it can serve as personal representative3
What Suncoast's agreement and guidance say4
- Payments after the death
Suncoast may continue to pay checks or drafts drawn on the deceased member's account for ten days after the death unless a person claiming an interest in the account instructs it to stop payment.1
- Indemnity a claimant may have to give
Suncoast may require anyone claiming funds from a deceased owner's account to indemnify it for losses from honoring the claim.1
- Membership
On a member's death, Suncoast may treat a joint owner as applying for membership as the successor member and, on approval, reassign the deceased member's member number to that joint owner.1
- Dormant and unclaimed accounts
Dormant accounts are charged $5 per month after 12 months of inactivity.4
Not in Suncoast's published guidance3
- A procedure for reporting a death
- A claim form
- A list of required documents
Sources4
- 1.Account Agreement and Disclosure
- 2.Share Certificate Truth-in-Savings Disclosure
- 3.Estate Planning and Settlement Services
- 4.Deposit Fee Schedule, effective September 1, 2026
Suncoast Trust Services can be reached by phone at 1-888-727-9191 and fax at 1-813-631-9898 for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
Data sourced from Suncoast primary sources (29 pages reviewed). How we research.
Suncoast death claims support
Member Care Center
Phone
Toll-free
Hours
Mailing address
Website
Death notifications go through general customer service.
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your Suncoast accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
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