What to do when a Travis CU account holder dies
Contact Travis CU's Travis Credit Union Member Services — 6-step process, 7 required documents, and varies based on account type and documentation; pod and joint account claims are typically processed faster than probate estates
Travis Credit Union Member Services
Travis Credit Union, P.O. Box 2069, Vacaville, CA 95696
Travis Credit Union Member Services
Travis Credit Union, P.O. Box 2069, Vacaville, CA 95696
The Travis Credit Union Member Services at Travis CU coordinates account transitions after a member's death. How each account is handled depends on its setup: POD and trust accounts transfer automatically, while solely-owned accounts typically require court authorization through Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
Before contacting Travis CU, have the account holder's full name, date of birth, and any available account numbers ready. A certified death certificate is required to initiate the claim.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
Here is the step-by-step death claim process at Travis CU:
Filing a claim
- Call (707) 449-4000 or (800) 877-8328 (Monday-Friday 8am-6pm PT, Saturday 9am-4pm)
- Email MSAdmin@Traviscu.org
- Fax (707) 469-1951
- Or visit a local branch
- For POD accounts: named beneficiary provides death certificate and valid government-issued ID to claim funds
- For joint accounts: the Membership Agreement classifies all joint accounts as Joint Tenancy with Right of Survivorship, so the funds automatically belong to the surviving owner(s) and are not subject to the will or probate
- For non-POD individual accounts in an estate over $208,850: executor or administrator provides a California-certified copy of the Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration bearing the County Clerk's stamp, plus an EIN issued to the estate (the decedent's SSN cannot be used), and opens an Executor/Administrator Estate Account
- For small estates: complete the Declaration for Collection of Personal Property Without Administration of Estate (Cal. Prob. Code 13101) at https://www.traviscu.org/TRAVIS12BASE/media/documents/disclosures/Probate-Code-13101-Form.pdf. The declaration cannot be signed until at least 40 days have elapsed since the death, and the certified death certificate must be attached
- To move funds to another institution or person, complete the Authorization To Transfer or Forward Funds at https://www.traviscu.org/TRAVIS12BASE/media/documents/disclosures/Auth-to-Transfer-or-Forward-Funds-with-Notary.pdf (notarization required)
- If a beneficiary is a minor: complete the Declaration Under Probate Code Section 3401 at https://www.traviscu.org/TRAVIS12BASE/media/documents/disclosures/Probate-Code-3401-Minor-Beneficiary.pdf
- If a beneficiary is declining their share: complete the Qualified Disclaimer of Beneficiary's Rights and Interest at https://www.traviscu.org/TRAVIS12BASE/media/documents/disclosures/Qualified-Disclaimer-of-Beneficiarys-Rights-and-Interest.pdf
- For IRA accounts: beneficiary provides death certificate and completes distribution paperwork
- For trust accounts: provide the trust document and any amendments, successor trustee identification, and the trust EIN
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for beneficiary or authorized representative
- California-certified Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration bearing the County Clerk's stamp (for probate estates)
- EIN issued to the estate by the IRS (the decedent's SSN cannot be used for an Executor/Administrator Estate Account)
- Trust document and any amendments, plus the trust EIN (if the account was held in trust)
- Marriage certificate or legal name change documentation (where names do not match)
- Declaration for Collection of Personal Property Without Administration of Estate, Cal. Prob. Code 13101 (small estates)
Claims Contact
What to know at this institution
Travis Credit Union publishes a dedicated after-a-loss page at https://www.traviscu.org/personal/navigating-the-next-steps-after-a-loss/ with four downloadable forms: the Authorization To Transfer or Forward Funds (notarization required), the Declaration for Collection of Personal Property Without Administration of Estate (Cal. Prob. Code 13101), the Declaration Under Probate Code Section 3401 (minor beneficiary), and the Qualified Disclaimer of Beneficiary's Rights and Interest. TCU's own 13101 declaration prints the California small-estate threshold schedule and applies $208,850 to deaths on or after 4-1-2025 ($184,500 for deaths between 4-1-2022 and 3-31-2025, $166,250 between 1-1-2020 and 3-31-2022, $150,000 for 2019 and earlier), and requires that 40 days have elapsed since the death. The form carries a caution that the credit union provides it as a courtesy, makes no representation about whether you should execute it, and that you may use your own compliant form. Estates over $208,850 require an Executor/Administrator Estate Account, which needs California-certified court Letters with the County Clerk's stamp, an estate EIN, and membership eligibility (the decedent at the time of death, or the estate's beneficiaries). That account is restricted to check-writing: no online banking, no Call-24, and no ATM/debit card. Under the Membership Agreement, joint accounts are all Joint Tenancy with Right of Survivorship, and the early-withdrawal penalty on a Share Certificate is waived when the withdrawal is made after the death of the member-owner. Upon notification, TCU locks the affected accounts, closes debit/ATM/credit cards, cancels pre-authorized transfers, and disables online banking. Required documents are typically mailed within 45 days, though expedited processing may be requested.
Mortgage and home lending
Mortgages and home equity loans are liabilities, not assets. They do not have beneficiaries and cannot be retitled to a trust. When a borrower dies, the loan obligation transfers with the property to whoever inherits it. Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Act, the lender cannot accelerate the loan or call it due when the property transfers to a surviving spouse, child, or the borrower’s revocable trust.
- Call (707) 449-4000 or (800) 877-8328 or visit a local branch
- Provide the deceased borrower's full legal name and loan number
- Provide documentation proving your ownership interest: probated will, court order, recorded deed, or trust document naming you as successor trustee or beneficiary
- Travis CU will review your documentation and confirm your status
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for the heir or personal representative
- Documentation proving ownership interest in the property (probated will, court order, recorded deed, or trust document)
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if going through probate)
- Marriage certificate (if surviving spouse)
What to know at this institution
Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act (12 U.S.C. 1701j-3), Travis Credit Union cannot enforce a due-on-sale clause when the property transfers to a surviving spouse, child, relative upon death, or the borrower's revocable living trust.
Prepare your letter of instruction to Travis CU
Travis CU asks for a letter of instruction alongside its claim form. We prepare a transmittal cover letter and the enclosure checklist Travis CU requires.
Build your letter of instructionHow long the process takes at Travis CU: Varies based on account type and documentation; POD and joint account claims are typically processed faster than probate estates. The most common reason for delays is missing or incomplete documentation, so submitting everything upfront is the best way to keep things moving.
Travis CU requires several documents to process a claim, including Certified death certificate, Government-issued photo ID for beneficiary or authorized representative, and California-certified Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration bearing the County Clerk's stamp (for probate estates), and additional documentation depending on the account type. Certified copies are typically needed—photocopies are generally not accepted for death certificates or court documents.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Travis Credit Union publishes its own Declaration for Collection of Personal Property Without Administration of Estate (California Probate Code Section 13101) as a downloadable PDF. The form prints the California small-estate threshold schedule and applies $208,850 to deaths on or after April 1, 2025 ($184,500 for deaths between April 1, 2022 and March 31, 2025). Two conditions on the credit union's form catch families out: at least 40 days must have elapsed since the death before the declaration can be signed, and a copy of the death certificate must be attached. The form also carries TCU's caution that it is provided as a courtesy, that the credit union makes no representation about whether you should execute it, and that you may use your own form so long as it complies with California law.
Travis Credit Union offers seven fiduciary account types, including the Executor/Administrator Estate Account used when an estate exceeds $208,850 and the successors must go to court to have someone appointed. Opening one requires a California-certified copy of the Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration bearing the County Clerk's stamp, an EIN issued to the estate (the decedent's Social Security number cannot be used), and membership eligibility, which is satisfied either by the decedent at the time of death or by the estate's beneficiaries. The account is deliberately restricted: checks may be issued, but no Call-24, no online banking, and no ATM/debit card are permitted. The other fiduciary types are Representative Payee, Conservatorship, Guardianship, Court Blocked, Coogan, and Uniform Transfer to Minor accounts.
Upon notification of a member's death, Travis Credit Union locks all affected accounts, closes debit/ATM/credit cards, cancels pre-authorized transfers, and disables online banking access. Settlement depends on how the account was titled: POD-designated accounts pass directly to the named beneficiary, joint accounts with survivorship pass to the surviving owner, and individual accounts without a POD designation require probate or a small estate affidavit. Notification can be made by phone at (800) 877-8328, email at MSAdmin@Traviscu.org, fax at (707) 469-1951, or in person at any branch.
Yes. Travis Credit Union accepts trust accounts for deposit products including checking, savings, money market, and certificates. Because TCU is a credit union rather than a bank, the trustee must also meet the credit union's membership eligibility requirements. Visit a branch with your trust agreement or Certificate of Trust, government-issued photo ID for all trustees, and either the Social Security number of the person who owns the funds or the trust's own Tax Identification Number. IRA accounts cannot be retitled to a trust, but a trust can be named as IRA beneficiary. One trust-friendly detail in the Membership Agreement: the early-withdrawal penalty on a Share Certificate is waived when the withdrawal is made after the death of the member-owner.
Travis Credit Union publishes four downloadable estate forms on its after-a-loss page at https://www.traviscu.org/personal/navigating-the-next-steps-after-a-loss/: the Authorization To Transfer or Forward Funds (notarization required), the Declaration for Collection of Personal Property Without Administration of Estate (California Probate Code Section 13101), the Declaration Under Probate Code Section 3401 for a minor beneficiary, and the Qualified Disclaimer of Beneficiary's Rights and Interest. Completed forms can be returned by email to MSAdmin@Traviscu.org, by fax to (707) 469-1951, or in person at any branch. Travis CU states it mails the required paperwork within 45 days of notification, though families may request expedited processing.
Travis CU's Travis Credit Union Member Services can be reached by phone at (707) 449-4000, email at MSAdmin@Traviscu.org, and fax at (707) 469-1951 for questions throughout the claims process.
Multiple Travis CU accounts may mean multiple claims. Some account types can be processed together, but others require their own documentation. Check with the Travis Credit Union Member Services to confirm what applies.
Sources
Data sourced from Travis CU primary sources (20 pages reviewed). How we research.
Travis Credit Union Member Services
Travis Credit Union, P.O. Box 2069, Vacaville, CA 95696
Travis Credit Union Member Services
Travis Credit Union, P.O. Box 2069, Vacaville, CA 95696
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