What to do when a Valley account holder dies
Contact Valley's Valley Wealth & Trust — 7-step process, 5 required documents, and pod beneficiaries may access funds upon providing death certificate and valid id; estate accounts vary based on probate requirements
Phone1-800-522-4100
Mailing Address
1455 Valley Road, Wayne, NJ 07470
Valley Wealth & Trust
Phone(973) 305-3500
Mailing Address
1455 Valley Road, Wayne, NJ 07470
WebsiteLearn more →
Verified Mar 2026
When a Valley account holder passes away, the next step depends on how the accounts were set up. Accounts with beneficiary designations or trust ownership transfer outside of probate. Accounts titled solely in the deceased's name require the estate's legal representative to work with Valley's Valley Wealth & Trust ((973) 305-3500) to access and distribute the funds.
Valley provides an online portal for initiating death claims, which can simplify the initial notification and document submission process. Claims can also be started by phone or by mailing the required documents.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
Here is the step-by-step death claim process at Valley:
Filing a claim
1Contact Valley Wealth & Trust at 973-305-3500 or visit a branch to report the death
2Submit a certified death certificate
3For POD accounts: beneficiaries provide government-issued ID to claim funds
4For non-POD accounts: executor provides Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration
5For trust-owned accounts: provide trust documents and trustee identification
6Valley reviews documentation and processes the claim
7Assets distributed per beneficiary designation, will, or trust instructions
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for claimant
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if no POD designation)
- Trust documents (if trust-owned account)
- Small Estate Affidavit (if estate qualifies under state law)
Valley Trust can serve as agent for executor or trustee, performing administrative functions including handling estate recordkeeping, investing estate assets, preparing reports for probate court and beneficiaries, locating and inventorying estate assets, paying estate expenses, collecting debts owed to the estate, and arranging for preparation and filing of required tax returns.
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.
1Notify Valley Bank of the borrower's death by calling customer service at 1-800-522-4100
2Provide the deceased borrower's full legal name, Social Security number, and loan number
3Submit a certified copy of the death certificate
4Request Successor in Interest documentation from Valley's mortgage servicing department
5Complete and return the Successor in Interest form with documentation proving your ownership interest in the property (e.g., probated will, court order, deed, or trust document)
6Valley Bank will review your documentation and confirm your status as a Successor in Interest
7Once confirmed, you will have access to loan information and can discuss options: continue making payments, apply for loss mitigation, assume the loan, refinance, or pay off the balance
8Continue making monthly mortgage payments during the review process to avoid default
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for the heir or personal representative
- Completed Successor in Interest form
- Documentation proving ownership interest in the property (one or more of the following): probated will naming you as heir, court order of succession, recorded deed transferring ownership, trust document showing you as successor trustee or beneficiary
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if going through probate)
- Marriage certificate (if surviving spouse)
Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act (12 U.S.C. 1701j-3), Valley Bank cannot enforce a due-on-sale clause when the property transfers to a surviving spouse, child, relative upon death, or the borrower's revocable living trust. Confirmed Successors in Interest are treated as borrowers under CFPB mortgage servicing rules and are entitled to account information, loss mitigation options, and assumption rights. Mortgage payments can be mailed to P.O. Box 954, Wayne, NJ 07474-0954.
Processing timelines at Valley: POD beneficiaries may access funds upon providing death certificate and valid ID; estate accounts vary based on probate requirements. Incomplete documentation is the most common cause of delays—submitting all required documents with the initial claim helps avoid additional processing time.
Valley requires several documents to process a claim, including Certified death certificate, Government-issued photo ID for claimant, and Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if no POD designation), 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
Visit a Valley branch or call customer service at 1-800-522-4100 to request a POD (Payable-on-Death) beneficiary designation form. Complete the form with your primary and contingent beneficiary information and submit it at a branch or by mail. POD designations are available on checking, savings, CDs, and money market accounts.
Contact Valley Wealth & Trust at 973-305-3500 or visit a branch to report the death and submit a certified death certificate. For POD accounts, beneficiaries can claim funds by presenting a government-issued ID and the death certificate. For non-POD accounts, the executor must provide Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration. Valley can also serve as agent for executor to handle administrative duties.
Valley's Valley Wealth & Trust can be reached by phone at (973) 305-3500 for questions throughout the claims process.
If the deceased held multiple Valley accounts, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The Valley Wealth & Trust can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.
Phone1-800-522-4100
Mailing Address
1455 Valley Road, Wayne, NJ 07470
Valley Wealth & Trust
Phone(973) 305-3500
Mailing Address
1455 Valley Road, Wayne, NJ 07470
WebsiteLearn more →
Verified Mar 2026
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