What to do when a Tyndall FCU account holder dies
Report the death to Tyndall FCU Member Care Center at 1-850-769-9999
Tyndall FCU Member Care Center 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.
Death claim process
To file a claim after an account holder's death, here is what Tyndall FCU requires:
Filing a claim
- Call 850-769-9999 (toll-free 888-896-3255).
- Or submit the Deceased Account Assistance Request form on Tyndall's "Closing Accounts for a Deceased Loved One" page.
- Provide the deceased member's name, account number (if available), and date of passing.
Required Documents
- Death certificateUsually the original or a certified copy.
- Government-issued picture IDSuch as a driver's license or passport.
- Basic information about the deceased memberSuch as name, address, and phone number.
- Certified copy of the Letters of Administration, Informal Order, or Summary Administration, for an executor or next of kinAn executor or next of kin may also need identification and legal documentation such as this.
- Court order or Certificate of Trust, for an account held in trust
- Successor in Interest form, for a Tyndall mortgage or home equity loan
Forms Tyndall FCU issues2
- Deceased Account Assistance Request form
Completed online.1
- Successor in Interest checklist
Available to download.2
What happens to each kind of account4
- Account in one name
Where there is no beneficiary designation, no probate proceedings or no estate, Tyndall may, but is not required to, pay the funds to any heir. It may instead hold the funds until a proper court order is presented.3
- Joint account with survivorship
The balance belongs to the surviving owner or owners. Once Tyndall has the proper documents it updates its records, and the account may be re-titled in the survivor's name.1
- Payable-on-death account
Funds are paid according to the instructions on the Account Card to the named, living payable-on-death beneficiaries.3
- Certificate of deposit
At its option, Tyndall may pay a certificate before maturity without an early withdrawal penalty when an account owner dies.4
State law on paying a balance without lettersFlorida
- Florida
Fla. Stat. § 735.303
Florida law permits a credit union to pay from a deceased member's balance on an affidavit made under oath, without letters testamentary or letters of administration.Fla. Stat. § 735.303Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
Paid to: family member (surviving spouse; else adult child; else adult descendant; else parent)
Limit: $2,000 held at the institution and $2,000 in total from every holder
When: not earlier than 6 months after the date of the decedent’s death
The section permits the payment. It does not require the credit union to make it. The section sets further conditions.
What Tyndall FCU's agreement and guidance say7
- Telling the institution
Tyndall may keep honoring transactions on an account until it is notified of the member's death and given satisfactory evidence, such as a certified death certificate or court order.3
- What it does when notified
Once notified and after verification, Tyndall freezes the accounts to prevent unauthorized transactions.1
Tyndall may require documentary evidence satisfactory to it before it decides how the funds are treated and before it releases funds to anyone claiming them.3
- Who can get account information
Only people with legal authority, such as the executor or administrator of the estate, can access detailed account information.5
- Payments after the death
After notice of death, Tyndall may pay drafts and other payments the member authorized for ten days, unless a person claiming an interest in the account instructs it to stop payment.3
- Deposits after the death
Social Security and other direct deposits should be stopped and may need to be returned, depending on the date received relative to the date of death.1
- Debts owed to the institution
Any payment of funds on the death of an account holder is subject to Tyndall's lien and security interest. Available funds are applied to an outstanding Tyndall loan or credit card balance.3, 5
Tyndall's pledge and lien rights do not include an IRA, Keogh or other account that would lose special tax treatment if pledged.3
- Indemnity a claimant may have to give
Tyndall may require anyone claiming the owner's account funds to indemnify it for any losses that result from honoring the claim.3
A few days to several weeks, depending on the complexity of the estate and the documentation provided.
Frequently asked questions
Under the "Death or Incompetence of Account Owner" clause of Tyndall's Membership Agreement (form FI18783 Rev 5-2026), Tyndall keeps honoring transfers, withdrawals, and deposits until it is notified of the death and given satisfactory evidence, such as a certified death certificate or a court order. Even after that notice, it may continue to pay drafts and other payments the member authorized for ten (10) days, unless a person claiming an interest in the account instructs it to stop payment. Tyndall's deceased-member FAQ adds that direct deposits such as Social Security payments should be stopped and may need to be returned. The Member Care Center is at (850) 769-9999 or (888) 896-3255.
Tyndall's Membership Agreement states that where there is no beneficiary designation, no probate proceedings or no estate, Tyndall may, but is not required to, pay the funds to any heir, who is then solely responsible for any further distribution. Alternatively, it may hold the funds until a proper court order is presented, and it may require documentary evidence satisfactory to it before releasing funds. Tyndall's deceased-member guide lists a certified copy of the Letters of Administration, Informal Order, or Summary Administration among the legal documentation an executor or next of kin may need.
Yes. Tyndall's Membership Agreement states that any payment of funds on the death of an account holder is subject to the credit union's lien and security interest, which secures loan and credit card obligations and covers share, checking, club, certificate, POD, and revocable trust accounts. Its deceased-member FAQ states that outstanding loans and credit cards become part of the estate and that any available funds will be applied to the outstanding debt. The lien does not reach IRA or Keogh accounts, or an irrevocable trust or fiduciary account in which the member has no vested ownership interest.
Tyndall FCU Member Care Center can be reached by phone at 1-850-769-9999 for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
Data sourced from Tyndall FCU primary sources (20 pages reviewed). How we research.
Tyndall FCU death claims support
Tyndall FCU Member Care Center
Phone
Toll-Free
Hours
Website
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