Estate planning at VACU
How to protect 12 VACU accounts — manage beneficiaries in-branch, fund a trust in-branch, and file claims through VACU's Member Services - Deceased Member Accounts
Phone1-800-285-6609
Toll-Free1-800-285-6609
Fax(804) 718-6906
Mailing Address
Virginia Credit Union, P.O. Box 90010, Richmond, VA 23225-9010
Deceased Member Accounts
24-Hour QuikLine Phone Banking
Member Services - Deceased Member Accounts
Phone(804) 323-6800
Toll-Free1-800-285-6609
Fax(804) 718-6906
Mailing Address
Virginia Credit Union, P.O. Box 90010, Richmond, VA 23225-9010
Deceased Member Accounts
WebsiteLearn more→
Deceased Member Accounts
Fax(804) 718-6906
Mailing Address
Virginia Credit Union, P.O. Box 90010, Richmond, VA 23225-9010
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026
VACU offers 12 accounts, each with its own rules for what happens when a member dies. As a membership-based credit union, VACU serves members who live, work, worship, volunteer, or attend school within eligible Virginia communities, plus employees of participating employers. Following the August 2024 merger with Member One Federal Credit Union, the combined organization serves the Richmond metro area, Roanoke Valley, New River Valley, Lynchburg, and other central and western Virginia communities. Family members of existing members are also eligible. $5 minimum deposit in a Member Share account to establish membership. Some transfer automatically to a named beneficiary, others can be held in a trust, and a few may require probate if no plan is in place.
Beneficiary designations at VACU can be managed in branch and by phone, typically taking 15-30 minutes. Trust funding is also available, allowing families to retitle accounts into the name of a revocable living trust.
VACU has documented procedures for both preparing accounts during your lifetime and handling claims when an account holder passes away.
Preparing your estate
Beneficiaries and trust funding
How to update beneficiaries in-branch, fund a trust in-branch, and review 12 account types at VACU.
View details →When someone dies
Death claim process
Contact VACU's Member Services - Deceased Member Accounts to file a claim. 3-step process, 6 required documents, and contact information for survivors.
View details →For questions about any of these procedures, contact VACU's Member Services - Deceased Member Accounts at 1-800-285-6609.
VACU operates in select states, so estate planning procedures may vary by location. Confirm availability in your state before initiating trust funding or account changes.
Frequently asked questions
Virginia Credit Union partners with Trust & Will to offer members a 20% discount on estate plans, including trust-based estate plans, wills, and other documents. This service is available to all VACU members through the Trust & Will platform.
Membership is open to individuals who live, work, worship, volunteer, or attend school within eligible Virginia communities, as well as employees of participating employers. Family members of existing VACU members can also join. A $5 deposit in a Member Share account establishes membership. Following the 2024 merger with Member One Federal Credit Union, the combined organization serves communities across central, western, and southwest Virginia.
The merger between Virginia Credit Union (Richmond) and Member One Federal Credit Union (Roanoke) became effective August 1, 2024. The combined organization has approximately $7 billion in assets, nearly 500,000 members, and 1,100 employees. No branches were closed and no employees lost their jobs due to the merger. On April 20, 2026 (Operational Day One), the Member One division fully transitioned to the Virginia Credit Union brand: legacy Member One accounts, online and mobile banking, and branches converted to VACU systems, products, and services, placing all members on one unified platform.
Yes, eligible deposit accounts including checking, savings, money market, and savings certificates can be retitled to a revocable living trust by visiting a branch with your trust agreement or Certificate of Trust, government-issued photo ID for all trustees, and the trust tax identification number. IRAs cannot be retitled to a trust but can name a trust as beneficiary through a separate IRA beneficiary designation. Existing POD designations must be revoked before retitling to trust ownership.
VACU offers five checking accounts: Regular Checking (free, no minimum balance), Enhanced Benefit Checking (earns dividends with bonus rates and free checks), Checking Plus (earns 0.25% APY with $5,000 minimum), Extra Credit Checking (for teens and young adults), and Encore Checking (second-chance checking for members rebuilding finances). All accounts include a free contactless debit card, online banking with bill pay, and mobile banking with mobile deposit.
VACU offers Traditional IRA and Roth IRA accounts, both with a $100 minimum to open. Traditional IRAs provide tax-deductible contributions (depending on income) with tax-deferred growth. Roth IRAs accept after-tax contributions with tax-free qualified withdrawals after meeting the five-year aging requirement. IRA Savings Certificate options are also available. IRAs cannot be titled to a trust, and IRA beneficiary designations are handled separately from deposit account POD designations.
Sources
Data sourced from VACU primary sources (25 pages reviewed). How we research.
Phone1-800-285-6609
Toll-Free1-800-285-6609
Fax(804) 718-6906
Mailing Address
Virginia Credit Union, P.O. Box 90010, Richmond, VA 23225-9010
Deceased Member Accounts
24-Hour QuikLine Phone Banking
Member Services - Deceased Member Accounts
Phone(804) 323-6800
Toll-Free1-800-285-6609
Fax(804) 718-6906
Mailing Address
Virginia Credit Union, P.O. Box 90010, Richmond, VA 23225-9010
Deceased Member Accounts
WebsiteLearn more→
Deceased Member Accounts
Fax(804) 718-6906
Mailing Address
Virginia Credit Union, P.O. Box 90010, Richmond, VA 23225-9010
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your VACU accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
