Estate planning at The First
How to protect 14 The First accounts — manage beneficiaries in-branch, fund a trust in-branch, and file death claims
Brand change
The First Bancshares, Inc. merged into Renasant Corporation on April 1, 2025; the systems conversion to Renasant Bank completed August 1-4, 2025 and the The First Bank brand was retired. Former customers now bank with Renasant Bank -- call the Renasant Customer Experience Center at 1-877-367-5371. Effective April 2025.
The First is now part of Renasant Bank. The procedures below reflect The First's accounts during the transition. View the Renasant Bank estate planning page.
Renasant Customer Experience Center (successor to The First Bank Service Center)
Renasant Bank, Customer Service Department, P.O. Box 709, Tupelo, MS 38802
Renasant Customer Experience Center (successor to The First Bank Service Center)
Renasant Bank, Customer Service Department, P.O. Box 709, Tupelo, MS 38802
Renasant Customer Experience Center (death claims on former The First Bank accounts)
Renasant Bank, Customer Service Department, P.O. Box 709, Tupelo, MS 38802
How your The First accounts transfer at death depends on how each one is titled and whether a beneficiary is on file. Of those, 11 can name a trust as beneficiary or be retitled into a trust. Getting these details right keeps assets out of probate and ensures they reach the intended recipients.
At The First, beneficiary designations are managed in branch, by mail, and by phone. Accounts can also be retitled into a trust to keep them out of probate entirely.
The First provides specific procedures for both proactive estate planning and filing claims after a death.
Preparing your estate
Beneficiaries and trust funding
How to update beneficiaries in-branch, fund a trust in-branch, and review 14 account types at The First.
View details →When someone dies
Death claim process
4-step process, 8 required documents, and contact information for survivors.
View details →The First operates in select states, so estate planning procedures may vary by location. Confirm availability in your state before initiating trust funding or account changes.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. The First Bank was FDIC insured (Certificate #34217). POD beneficiaries qualify for separate FDIC insurance coverage of up to $250,000 per beneficiary per depositor. Revocable trust accounts are also FDIC insured based on the number of qualifying beneficiaries, up to the maximum allowed by law (the FDIC rule change effective April 1, 2024 consolidated trust coverage into a single category capped at $1.25 million per owner across all eligible beneficiaries). Following the merger, deposits are now insured under Renasant Bank.
Yes. Personal checking, savings, money market, and CD accounts could be retitled into the name of a revocable living trust at any branch. The trustee presents the Certification of Trust (or relevant pages of the trust agreement including the signature/notary page and any amendments), trustee government-issued ID, and the trust's tax identification number (the grantor's SSN for a typical revocable trust, or an EIN for irrevocable trusts). IRAs cannot be retitled to a trust; the trust can only be named as beneficiary. As of August 2025, these requests are now handled by Renasant Bank.
Sources
Data sourced from The First primary sources (9 pages reviewed). How we research.
Renasant Customer Experience Center (successor to The First Bank Service Center)
Renasant Bank, Customer Service Department, P.O. Box 709, Tupelo, MS 38802
Renasant Customer Experience Center (successor to The First Bank Service Center)
Renasant Bank, Customer Service Department, P.O. Box 709, Tupelo, MS 38802
Renasant Customer Experience Center (death claims on former The First Bank accounts)
Renasant Bank, Customer Service Department, P.O. Box 709, Tupelo, MS 38802
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your The First accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
