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United Community

Subsidiary of United Community Banks, Inc.

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Estate planning options at United Community

Estate planning for your United Community accounts starts with understanding how each one transfers at death. Beneficiary designations and trust retitling both bypass probate, but the right approach depends on the account type, your tax situation, and how much control you want over distributions.

Across 15 product types, United Community accounts vary in how they transfer at death. The sections below walk through Payable on Death (POD) designations, trust funding options, and which products support each method.

No beneficiary form at United Community

United CheckingUnited Signature CheckingUnited Checking for 55+United Checking for StudentsUnited Essential BankingUnited SavingsUnited Student SavingsUnited Treasure Chest SavingsUnited Money Market8-Month Certificate of Deposit14-Month Certificate of Deposit
1
Choose the ownership form that carries a pay-on-death beneficiary
  • Georgia and Tennessee accounts: a "Revocable Trust or Pay-on-Death Account"
  • North Carolina accounts: a "Payable on Death (POD) Account"
  • Alabama, Florida, and South Carolina accounts (and accounts opened online): a single-party or multiple-party account "With Pay-on-Death Designation"
  • The ownership form and any beneficiary designation are those specified on the bank's account records

What United Community says about beneficiaries and trusts

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

State requirements United Community statesGeorgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina

Georgia

A beneficiary cannot withdraw until every person who created the account has died, and only a beneficiary then living takes. Two or more surviving beneficiaries own the account in equal shares, without right of survivorship.1

The person or persons who create the account may change beneficiaries, change account types, and withdraw all or part of the funds at any time.1

Tennessee

A beneficiary cannot withdraw until every person who created the account has died, and only a beneficiary then living takes. Two or more surviving beneficiaries own the account in equal shares, without right of survivorship.2

The person or persons who create the account may change beneficiaries, change account types, and withdraw all or part of the funds at any time.2

North Carolina

A beneficiary cannot withdraw until every person who created the account has died, and only a beneficiary then living takes.3

Alabama

United Community reserves the right to refuse some forms of ownership and beneficiary designations unless otherwise prohibited by law.4

Ownership passes to the pay-on-death beneficiaries at the death of the last surviving owner and is not part of that owner's estate.4

Florida

Ownership passes to the pay-on-death beneficiaries at the death of the last surviving owner and is not part of that owner's estate.5

South Carolina

Ownership passes to the pay-on-death beneficiaries at the death of the last surviving owner and is not part of that owner's estate.6

Which accounts a trust can hold1

Trust account

An account may be opened and maintained by a person or persons named as a trustee under a written trust agreement.1, 4, 5, 3, 6, 2

What United Community says about trust accounts1

Review of the trust document

By opening the account the bank does not act as trustee and undertakes no obligation to monitor or enforce the terms of the trust.1, 4, 5, 3, 6, 2

State requirements United Community statesGeorgia, Tennessee

Georgia

The "Revocable Trust or Pay-on-Death Account" is owned by the person or persons who create it, with the named beneficiaries entitled only after all of them die.1

Tennessee

The "Revocable Trust or Pay-on-Death Account" is owned by the person or persons who create it, with the named beneficiaries entitled only after all of them die.2

Accounts handled elsewhere1

United Community Private Wealth

Fiduciary services, including trust administration and estate settlement7

Not in United Community's published guidance3

  • A beneficiary designation form
  • What the owner provides to name a beneficiary
  • A trust-account document list

Sources7

SimplyTrustSimplyTrust Editorial·

Sources

Data sourced from United Community primary sources (18 pages reviewed). How we research.

Download these United Community instructions

Download instructions for the whole estate

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

United Community estate support

Private Wealth Client Services (fiduciary services: trust administration and estate settlement)

Hours

8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET (normal business hours)
Verified Sep 2026

Estate planning articles

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

Forms for Planning Your Estate

Free forms for planning your estate: a will, living trust, pour-over will, both powers of attorney, living will, and TOD deed.

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Pour-Over Will

Catch anything outside your trust. Pairs with your revocable trust.

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Revocable Living Trust

Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.

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Last Will and Testament

Name your heirs, guardians, and final wishes. Free for every state.

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Healthcare Power of Attorney

Name someone to make medical decisions if you can't.

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Financial Power of Attorney

Name someone to manage your finances if you can't.

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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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