What to do when a Truist account holder dies
Contact Truist's Truist Wealth -- Trust and Estate Settlement — 4-step process, 8 required documents, and varies by account type and documentation completeness
Truist, 214 N Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202
Survivor Relations
Truist Bank, VA-RVW-5113, P.O. Box 26150, Richmond, VA 23260
After an account holder at Truist dies, accounts with beneficiary designations or trust ownership transfer to the designated recipients without probate. Solely-owned accounts require the estate's representative to contact Truist's Survivor Relations at 1-844-487-8478 with the proper legal authority documents.
Claims can be filed by phone (1-844-487-8478) or by emailing documentation to SurvivorRelations@truist.com. Before reaching out, gather the account holder's full name, account numbers, and a certified death certificate.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
Here is the step-by-step death claim process at Truist:
Filing a claim
- Call Truist at 1-844-487-8478 (844-4TRUIST) to report the death of an account holder
- Under the "Death or Incompetence" clause of the Truist Bank Services Agreement (https://www.truist.com/content/dam/truist-bank/us/en/documents/disclosures/banking/bank-services-agreement-privacy-notice.pdf), a depositor's death does NOT revoke Truist's authority to accept, pay, or collect items until Truist is notified of the death and has had a reasonable opportunity to act on the notice
- Even after it has knowledge of the death, Truist may for ten (10) days after the date of death continue to pay checks drawn on or before the date of death -- unless a person claiming an interest in the account orders a stop payment. If outstanding checks should not clear, place a stop payment when you report the death
- For Premier/Wealth accounts, call the Premier Care Center at 1-877-892-9761. For self-directed brokerage, call Truist Trade at 1-800-694-4284. For Truist Invest managed accounts, call 1-844-206-8900
- Provide the deceased's full legal name, date of birth, date of death, and account information
- Truist will place holds on sole-owned accounts and assign a case number
- Ask whether any benefit payments (Social Security, pension, or veteran's benefits) posted after the date of death -- the agreement lets Truist return or refund a deposit payable to a person who is or becomes deceased and debit the account for it, so those funds may be clawed back and should not be spent
- Truist routes survivor and estate documentation through Survivor Relations at SurvivorRelations@truist.com (fax 877-589-0758; mail Truist Bank, VA-RVW-5113, P.O. Box 26150, Richmond, VA 23260)
- Truist uses a Patriot Act Form to validate the identity of the person claiming (https://www.truist.com/content/dam/truist-bank/us/en/documents/forms-applications/personal/patriot-act-verification-form.pdf); per https://www.truist.com/mortgage/mortgage-forms, completed Patriot Act Forms are emailed to SurvivorRelations@truist.com
- For POD/ITF accounts: provide the beneficiary's government-issued photo ID and a certified death certificate showing the beneficiary survived all owners -- the agreement bars Truist from paying the estate, personal representative, or heirs of a deceased owner unless proof of death shows that owner survived all other owners and beneficiaries
- For accounts with no POD/ITF beneficiary and no surviving joint owner: provide Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration -- the agreement passes an individual account to the decedent's estate
- For trust accounts: provide the trust agreement or Certificate of Trust plus successor trustee identification
- POD/ITF with multiple beneficiaries: the agreement pays the beneficiaries in EQUAL and undivided shares. A designation of unequal amounts or percentages is treated by Truist only as a REQUEST that it may honor in its sole discretion -- do not assume a percentage split will be followed
- If no beneficiary survives the last owner, the POD/ITF funds are payable to the last owner's estate and become a probate asset
- Joint accounts are treated as joint tenants with right of survivorship unless Truist's records say otherwise; the surviving owner takes the balance and Truist removes the deceased owner upon proof of death
- Certificates of Deposit: on the death of a depositor, Truist may honor one (1) request to withdraw the deposit before maturity WITHOUT an early-withdrawal penalty. Make that single withdrawal count -- a second early withdrawal is penalized
- Asset Management Accounts (AMA): a TOD designation made with the broker (Truist Investment Services) TAKES PRECEDENCE over any conflicting POD instruction given to the Bank, and controls distribution of the checking, brokerage, and sweep portions alike
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for claimant or beneficiary
- Completed Truist Patriot Act Form (identity validation, emailed to SurvivorRelations@truist.com)
- Account information for the deceased
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if probate required)
- Small Estate Affidavit (if estate qualifies under state law)
- Trust agreement or Certificate of Trust plus trustee identification (if trust account or trust is beneficiary)
- State inheritance-tax waiver (if required by the decedent's state)
What to know at this institution
The Truist Bank Services Agreement is the controlling document, and several of its clauses change what an executor should do first. Death or Incompetence: neither death nor an adjudication of incompetence revokes Truist's authority to accept, pay, or collect items until Truist is notified and has a reasonable opportunity to act -- and even with knowledge of the death, Truist may for ten (10) days after the date of death pay checks drawn on or before that date unless a person claiming an interest in the account orders a stop payment. Truist also reserves the right to return or refund a deposit (such as Social Security, pension, or veteran's benefits) payable to someone who is or becomes deceased, and to debit the account for it. POD/ITF accounts pay multiple beneficiaries in EQUAL shares; an unequal amount or percentage split is only a request Truist may honor at its sole discretion. If no beneficiary survives the last owner, the funds fall to the last owner's estate. CDs: on the depositor's death Truist may honor one (1) pre-maturity withdrawal without an early-withdrawal penalty. New Jersey: joint and POD accounts with more than one owner are governed by the Multiple-Party Deposit Account Act, N.J.S.A. 17:16I-1 et seq., and ownership of a multiple-party account cannot be changed by will. North Carolina: a Personal Agency Account under N.C.G.S. 53C-6-8 has no right of survivorship, and the agent's authority terminates at the principal's death -- the balance passes to the estate. Truist Wealth offers estate settlement services as corporate executor, co-executor, or agent for the executor, including asset collection, creditor notification, tax return filing, and asset distribution (https://www.truist.com/wealth/solutions/trust-estate-planning/estate-settlement). International callers: +1-910-914-8250.
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.
- Gather the certified death certificate and any documents establishing your legal interest in the property (will, trust agreement, deed, or court appointment as executor/administrator)
- Call Truist Mortgage at 855-257-4040 to report the death of the borrower and request guidance on next steps
- Truist will assign a case and advise on your role: surviving co-borrower, successor in interest (heir), fiduciary (executor/administrator), or successor trustee
- Submit required documents to Truist Survivor Relations by email at SurvivorRelations@truist.com, by fax at 877-589-0758, or by mail to Truist Bank, VA-RVW-5113, P.O. Box 26150, Richmond, VA 23260
- Once Truist verifies your documentation and confirms your status as a successor in interest or fiduciary, you will receive access to loan information and statements
- Discuss options with Truist: continue making payments on the existing loan, apply for a loan assumption, refinance in your own name, or pay off the loan
- If you wish to assume the loan, complete the assumption application provided by Truist
- Continue making regular mortgage payments during the process to avoid delinquency
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for the claimant
- Proof of legal interest in the property (deed, will, trust agreement, or court order)
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if court-appointed executor/administrator)
- Trust agreement and trustee identification (if property held in trust)
- Small Estate Affidavit (if estate qualifies under state law)
- Completed Mortgage Assistance Application or successor in interest forms as directed by Truist
Claims Contact
Phone: 855-257-4040
Email: SurvivorRelations@truist.com
Fax: 877-589-0758
Truist Bank, VA-RVW-5113, P.O. Box 26150, Richmond, VA 23260
What to know at this institution
Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act of 1982 (12 U.S.C. 1701j-3), Truist cannot enforce a due-on-sale clause when the property transfers to a surviving spouse, child, or relative of the deceased borrower, or to the borrower's revocable living trust. Heirs who inherit the property are not required to assume the loan or qualify for credit to continue making payments. Truist must identify and communicate with confirmed successors in interest per CFPB Regulation X (12 C.F.R. 1024.31) and provide them with information about the loan and available loss mitigation options. For general mortgage inquiries, call 800-634-7928. To speak with a mortgage professional, call 855-445-0999. For mortgage assistance, call 800-443-1032.
Prepare your letter of instruction to Truist
Truist accepts a claimant-drafted letter of instruction. We draft it for you — addressed to Truist's verified claims department, with the documents it requires enclosed.
Build your letter of instructionOpening 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.
How to open an estate account at Truist →How long the process takes at Truist: Varies by account type and documentation completeness. The most common reason for delays is missing or incomplete documentation, so submitting everything upfront is the best way to keep things moving.
Truist requires several documents to process a claim, including Certified death certificate, Government-issued photo ID for claimant or beneficiary, and Completed Truist Patriot Act Form (identity validation, emailed to SurvivorRelations@truist.com), 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
For a limited window, yes. The "Death or Incompetence" clause of the Truist Bank Services Agreement says a depositor's death does not revoke Truist's authority to accept, pay, or collect items until Truist is notified of the death and has had a reasonable opportunity to act on that notice. And even after Truist knows about the death, it may for ten (10) days after the date of death continue to pay checks that were drawn on or before the date of death -- unless a person claiming an interest in the account orders a stop payment. If checks are outstanding that should not clear, report the death promptly and place a stop payment at the same time. Separately, Truist reserves the right to return or refund a deposit (such as Social Security, pension, or veteran's benefits) payable to someone who is or becomes deceased, and to debit the account for it, so do not spend benefit payments that posted after the date of death.
Once. The Certificate of Deposit terms in the Truist Bank Services Agreement state that if a depositor dies or is judicially declared mentally incompetent after purchasing a CD, Truist may honor one (1) request for withdrawal of the deposit prior to maturity without an early-withdrawal penalty. That is a single penalty-free bite, so an executor should withdraw the full amount needed in one request rather than taking partial withdrawals -- a further early withdrawal can be penalized. Confirm the treatment with Truist at 844-487-8478 before you submit the request.
Retitling means opening a new account, not renaming an existing one: the Bank Services Agreement says that when the ownership of an account is to be changed, the account should be closed and a new account opened to reflect the new ownership designation. Bring your signed trust agreement or Certificate of Trust, photo ID for every trustee, and the trust EIN to a branch -- trust accounts cannot be opened online -- then move direct deposits and automatic payments to the new account number. For a death claim, call 844-487-8478 for a case number, then send the certified death certificate, your ID, the Truist Patriot Act Form used to validate your identity, and your role documents (Letters Testamentary, trust agreement, or beneficiary ID) to Truist Survivor Relations at SurvivorRelations@truist.com, fax 877-589-0758, or Truist Bank, VA-RVW-5113, P.O. Box 26150, Richmond, VA 23260. Investment accounts intake separately: Premier Care Center 877-892-9761, Truist Trade 800-694-4284, Truist Invest 844-206-8900.
Truist's Survivor Relations can be reached by phone at 1-844-487-8478, email at SurvivorRelations@truist.com, and fax at 877-589-0758 for questions throughout the claims process.
Multiple Truist accounts may mean multiple claims. Some account types can be processed together, but others require their own documentation. Check with the Survivor Relations to confirm what applies.
Sources
Data sourced from Truist primary sources (22 pages reviewed). How we research.
Truist, 214 N Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202
Survivor Relations
Truist Bank, VA-RVW-5113, P.O. Box 26150, Richmond, VA 23260
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