What to do when a Truist account holder dies
Report the death to Truist at 1-844-487-8478
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 Wealth estate settlement with the proper legal authority documents.
Begin by calling Truist. You will need the deceased's full name, account numbers, and the death certificate to get the process started.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
Here is the step-by-step death claim process at Truist:
Filing a claim
Required Documents
- Proof of death
What happens to each kind of account7
- Account in one name
On the death of the owner of an individual account, the funds pass to the estate and are administered by the person designated under applicable law or appointed by court order.1
- Joint account with survivorship
Truist may remove a deceased owner from a joint account upon proof of the owner's death. Unless Truist's records say otherwise, the account is joint with right of survivorship and the remaining funds belong to the survivors equally.1
- Joint account without survivorship
If Truist's records designate a joint account as without right of survivorship, a deceased owner's share passes to their estate or trust, and funds are distributed equally unless Truist otherwise agrees.1
- Payable-on-death account
Truist may pay the funds to the beneficiaries upon presentation of proof of death showing they survived all of the owners. It will not pay a deceased owner's estate, personal representative or heirs without proof of death showing that owner survived all other owners and beneficiaries.1
Multiple surviving beneficiaries take in equal and undivided shares; an unequal amount or percentage is only a request Truist may honor in its sole discretion. If no beneficiary survives the last owner, the funds are payable to the last owner's estate.1
- Custodial account (UTMA/UGMA)
The custodian of a Uniform Transfers to Minors account must notify Truist in writing immediately upon the death of the minor. Before it receives that notice, Truist may honor checks or drafts written on the account.1
- Certificate of deposit
If a depositor dies after purchasing a certificate of deposit, Truist may honor one request for withdrawal before maturity without penalty.1
- Investment account
On an Asset Management Account, the transfer-on-death designation made with Truist Investment Services governs distribution of the checking, brokerage and investment sweep portions, and takes precedence over any differing payable-on-death instructions given to the bank.1
State requirements Truist statesNew Jersey, North Carolina
- New Jersey
The agreement's New Jersey account notice says "Ownership of a multiple-party account cannot be changed by will."1
- North Carolina
A North Carolina Personal Agency account is treated as an individual account with no right of survivorship, and the agent's authority ends at the principal's death.1
State law on paying a balance without letters8 states
- Florida
Permits a bank to pay up to $2,000 on an affidavitFla. Stat. § 735.303Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
- Georgia
Permits a bank to pay up to $15,000 on an affidavitO.C.G.A. § 7-1-239Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
- Kentucky
Directs a bank to pay up to $2,500 on an order of the courtKRS 391.030(2)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
- Mississippi
Permits a bank to pay up to $12,500 on a signed receipt or releaseMiss. Code Ann. § 81-5-63Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
- Pennsylvania
Directs a bank to pay up to $20,000 on an affidavit20 Pa.C.S. § 3101(b)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
- Tennessee
Permits a bank to pay up to $15,000 on proof the institution acceptsT.C.A. § 45-2-708Verified Oct 3, 2026View sourceT.C.A. § 45-2-708
Permits a bank to pay up to $10,000 on proof the institution acceptsT.C.A. § 30-2-103(b)(2)Verified Oct 3, 2026View sourceT.C.A. § 30-2-103(b)(2)
- Texas
Permits a bank to pay up to $5,000 on an order of the courtTex. Est. Code § 152.051Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
- West Virginia
Permits a bank to pay up to $5,000 on an affidavitW. Va. Code § 44-1-28(c), (d)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
Accounts handled elsewhere1
- Truist Wealth
Estate settlement as a corporate fiduciary, and service as agent for an individual executor2
What Truist's agreement and guidance say5
- Telling the institution
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 a reasonable opportunity to act on it.1
- Payments after the death
Even with knowledge of the death, Truist may for ten 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.1
- Deposits after the death
If a deposit such as Social Security, pension or veteran's benefits is payable to a person who is or becomes deceased, Truist may return or refund the deposit and debit the account.1
- Debts owed to the institution
Truist's right of setoff or security interest may be exercised before or after the death of an account owner and can follow the proceeds to any other account held at Truist.1
- Powers of attorney
Truist may continue to recognize an agent or attorney-in-fact until it receives and has a reasonable opportunity to act on notice of the owner's death. It may require the agent to confirm in an affidavit that the owner is not deceased.1
Not in Truist's published guidance3
- A procedure for reporting a death
- Whether the death certificate must be certified
- Which court appointment document it accepts
Sources2
- 1.Bank Services Agreement, R-BSA | 09/28/2026
- 2.Estate settlement
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.
- Truist uses the form to validate client identity; its mortgage forms page states completed forms can be emailed to SurvivorRelations@truist.com
- The form records the mortgage loan number, the property address, and the identification of the person to be identified
- Present a valid, unexpired U.S. state driver's license, U.S. passport or U.S. military ID; otherwise, two forms of identification, at least one with a picture
- Truist branch personnel or a notary examines the identification and signs the form
Required Documents
- USA Patriot Act Verification FormSigned by Truist branch personnel or a notary.
- U.S. state driver's license, U.S. passport or U.S. military IDValid and unexpired. Otherwise, two forms of identification, at least one with a picture.
Claims Contact
Email: survivorrelations@truist.com
Forms Truist issues1
- USA Patriot Act Verification Form
Completed by Truist branch personnel or a notary, who examines the identification and signs the form. Available to download.1
Federal law on calling a home loan after a death
These exemptions apply to a loan secured by residential real property containing less than five dwelling units.12 U.S.C. § 1701j-3(d); 12 CFR 191.5(b), 141.14Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
- A lender may not exercise a due-on-sale clause upon a transfer by devise, descent, or operation of law on the death of a joint tenant or tenant by the entirety.12 U.S.C. § 1701j-3(d)(3); 12 CFR 191.5(b)(1)(iii)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
- A lender may not exercise a due-on-sale clause upon a transfer to a relative resulting from the death of a borrower.12 U.S.C. § 1701j-3(d)(5)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
- A lender may not exercise a due-on-sale clause upon a transfer where the spouse or children of the borrower become an owner of the property.12 U.S.C. § 1701j-3(d)(6)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
A federal regulation sets further conditions on these transfers.12 CFR 191.5(b)(1)(v)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
Sources1
Frequently asked questions
For a limited time. 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 a reasonable opportunity to act on it. 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. If a deposit such as Social Security, pension or veteran's benefits is payable to someone who is or becomes deceased, Truist may return or refund the deposit and debit the account.
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 penalty.
Sources
Data sourced from Truist primary sources (27 pages reviewed). How we research.
Truist death claims support
Phone
Outside the U.S.
Premier Care Center (Truist Premier clients)
Truist Trade
Client Advisory Center
Mortgages
Manage existing mortgage
Speak with a mortgage professional
Mortgage assistance
Online or mobile banking help
Hours
Website
Death notifications go through general customer service.
Estate planning articles
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Forms for Settling an Estate
Free forms for settling an estate: the probate petition, small estate affidavit, notice to creditors, inventory, and closing forms.
Affidavit of Death
Put a joint owner's or a transfer on death deed owner's death on the land records with the affidavit your state's statute names, laid out for recording.
IRS Form 56
Notify the IRS that you are the fiduciary of an estate, a trust or a person, or end a notice filed before, on the official form.
Digital Assets Recovery Letter
Prepare a letter requesting a deceased person's online accounts, points, and balances from the program that holds them.
Petition for Probate and Letters
Open probate and ask the court to appoint you and issue Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
Notice to Creditors
Notify estate creditors and start the claim period — the published notice plus mailed copies for known creditors.
Renunciation of Executor
Decline an appointment as executor named in a will — the writing filed with the court before anyone is appointed.
Tools for Settling an Estate
Free tools for settling an estate: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines, and inheritance taxes.
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Calculate how many certified death certificates you need and see ordering info for your state.
Do I Need Probate?
Find out if an estate needs probate or qualifies for simplified procedures.
What Happens to Jointly Owned Property When an Owner Dies?
See what your state records when a joint tenant with right of survivorship dies: an affidavit, the death certificate or a new deed.
Do I Have to File Tax Returns for Someone Who Died?
Find out which tax returns need to be filed after someone dies and whether tax clearance is required.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Personalized plan for settling an estate after someone passes away.
What Do I Do When Someone Dies?
A step-by-step checklist for the days, weeks, and months after a death, with state rules noted where they apply.
