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How to designate beneficiaries at Peak CU

Beneficiaries are managed in branch, by phone or by mail

Peak CU operates under a new nameRebranded

TwinStar Credit Union and Northwest Community Credit Union were united under the Peak Credit Union brand in 2025. The twinstarcu.com and nwcu.com addresses now lead to peakcu.org, and Peak’s routing number is 325181015.

The procedures on this page reflect Peak CU's accounts. Account servicing may transfer as the change takes effect.
Verified Sep 2026Source →

Preparing your Peak CU accounts for estate transfer involves two key steps: designating beneficiaries on each account and, where appropriate, retitling accounts into a trust. Because Peak CU is a membership-based institution, trust retitling must maintain the membership eligibility requirement. Accounts with Payable on Death designations or trust ownership bypass probate entirely.

The transfer rules at Peak CU vary across 12 accounts. Below is a breakdown of beneficiary options, trust funding, and which products support each method.

Beneficiary form at Peak CU

Signature card.

Basic CheckingPeak High Yield CheckingPeak Cash Back CheckingPeak SaverMoney Market SavingsShare Certificate
1
Visit any Peak branch to meet with a Member Service Specialist or Financial Consultant
2
Every account owner signs the beneficiary change

Required Documents

  • Signature card signed by every account owner (when the change is requested by phone). Peak sends the card, and it is mailed back signed

What Peak CU says about beneficiaries and trusts

Each section is Peak CU's own statement, with the document it comes from numbered under Sources.

Which accounts take a beneficiary2

IRA

A POD designation does not apply. The account is governed by a separate beneficiary designation.1

Coverdell education savings account

A POD designation does not apply. The account is governed by a separate beneficiary designation.1

What a designation takes to be effective

All accounts

All account owners must sign when beneficiaries are updated or changed.2

Peak's agreement requires account changes to be evidenced by a signed Membership Application that Peak accepts.1

Beneficiary forms Peak CU issues1

Signature card

Completed by every account owner. Sent by the institution on request.2

What Peak CU's agreement says about beneficiaries5

Divorce

Peak's agreement says a joint-with-survivorship or POD designation may be invalidated when Peak receives notice of a marriage dissolution, as applicable law requires.1

A designation and a will

Peak's agreement says a joint-with-survivorship or POD designation may be invalidated when Peak receives notice of a testamentary disposition, as applicable law requires.1

A beneficiary who dies first

An account payable to more than one POD beneficiary is owned jointly by those beneficiaries with rights of survivorship.1

Who can see the designation

Peak has no obligation to notify a beneficiary that an account exists.1

Powers of attorney over a living owner's account

Peak does not recognize an agent under a power of attorney unless an acceptable written power of attorney is on record at the credit union.1

Which accounts a trust can hold1

Trust account

An individual account can be owned by a trust or other fiduciary relationship that qualifies for membership.1

Trust accounts are not eligible for Save To Win.3

What Peak CU says about trust accounts3

Who signs for the trust

On a fiduciary account the trust is the sole owner. The trustee acts for it with no ownership interest and is the only party authorized to transact.1

Review of the trust document

Peak has no duty to examine the trust instrument or to inquire into the trustee’s powers.1

Online access

Entitled Users cannot be appointed on a fiduciary account in Digital Banking.4

Not in Peak CU's published guidance1

  • Channels for opening or retitling a trust account

Sources4

SimplyTrustSimplyTrust Editorial·

Sources

Data sourced from Peak CU primary sources (19 pages reviewed). How we research.

Download these Peak CU instructions

Download instructions for the whole estate

A printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against Peak CU primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.

Peak CU estate support

Member Services

Local number

Outside the US

Credit Union Connection (telephone banking)

Bill Pay support

After hours lost or stolen Visa card

Account Solutions

Hours

Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-7:00 PM; Saturday 9:30 AM-2:00 PM (closed Sundays and holidays)

Mailing address

Peak Credit Union, PO Box 718, Olympia, WA 98507-0718

Estate requests go through general customer service.

Verified Sep 2026

Estate planning articles

Learn how to protect your Peak CU accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.

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Transfer on Death Deed

Transfer real property to a beneficiary upon your death without probate. Available in 34 states and the District of Columbia.

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Vehicle Transfer on Death

Name a beneficiary to inherit your vehicle at death without probate. Available in 26 states and the District of Columbia.

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Living Will

State in advance which life-sustaining treatments you want or refuse, in the document your state recognizes, with signing instructions from the statute.

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