How to report a death to TransUnion
There is nothing to claim from TransUnion and nothing owed to it. The executor's step here is notification: TransUnion flags the file as deceased, and a copy of the credit report shows which accounts were open at death — the starting map for settling the estate's debts.
Before contacting TransUnion, have the account holder's full name, date of birth, and any available account numbers ready.
Reporting a death
The death claim process at TransUnion works as follows:
Reporting the death
- Legal name
- Social Security number
- Date of birth
- Date of death
- A spouse states in the letter that they are the spouse and includes their name and mailing address.
- An executor or anyone other than the spouse includes a copy of their identification, such as a driver's license, and a mailing address.
- An executor or anyone other than the spouse also includes a copy of the will, executor agreement or Power of Attorney documentation.
- The deceased person's legal name
- The names of the companies that reported the items in dispute
- The partial account number shown on the credit report
- The reason for the dispute, with any supporting documents
- The same spouse or executor details as for a credit report request
Required Documents
- A copy of the death certificate
- A letter with the deceased person's detailsLegal name, Social Security number, date of birth and date of death.
- A statement in the letter that you are the spouse, to request the deceased person's credit report or dispute an item on it as the spouseInclude your name and mailing address.
- A copy of your identification, to request the report or dispute an item as an executor or anyone other than the spouseSuch as a driver's license. Include your mailing address.
- A copy of the will, executor agreement or Power of Attorney documentation, to request the report or dispute an item as an executor or anyone other than the spouse
What happens to each kind of account1
- Credit file
TransUnion states that a credit freeze or a fraud alert cannot be placed on a deceased family member's credit report. The report can be updated to show the person as deceased, which notifies any creditor who attempts to pull the report.1, 2, 3
TransUnion holds a credit file, not money; nothing is claimed from it.3
What TransUnion provides to the estate1
- List of the deceased person's accounts
A copy of the deceased person's TransUnion credit report can be requested by mail. TransUnion states the report can help gather information about the person's credit accounts and any outstanding debt, and that reports from Equifax and Experian must be requested from each of them.4
What TransUnion's agreement and guidance say2
- Telling the institution
TransUnion states that the credit reporting agencies periodically receive notification of deaths from the Social Security Administration, that notifying an agency directly can be faster, and that a funeral director may already have reported the death on the family's behalf.4
TransUnion states that it notes the person as deceased on its credit report within five business days of receiving the letter.
Sources
Data sourced from TransUnion primary sources (9 pages reviewed). How we research.
TransUnion death claims support
Mailing address
Website
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