What to do when a Washington Trust account holder dies
Report the death to Washington Trust's Customer Solutions Center at 1-800-475-2265
When an account holder at Washington Trust 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 Washington Trust's Customer Solutions Center (1-800-475-2265) to access and distribute the funds.
Before contacting Washington Trust, have the account holder's full name, date of birth, and any available account numbers ready.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
The death claim process at Washington Trust works as follows:
Filing a claim
Required Documents
- Court order appointing the executor or administrator, for an account that passes through the estate
- Written trust agreement naming the trustee, for a trust-owned account
What happens to each kind of account5
- Account in one name
Ownership passes as part of the owner's estate.1
- Joint account with survivorship
Washington Trust's joint accounts are held as joint tenancy with right of survivorship. At the death of one owner, ownership passes to the surviving owners.1
- Payable-on-death account
Ownership passes to the designated beneficiaries and is not part of the owner's estate.1
If the bank cannot locate a pay-on-death beneficiary, it keeps the funds in a separate account in the beneficiary's name until they are claimed or escheated.2
- Trust account
The trustee named under the written trust agreement maintains the account.1
- Fiduciary account
An executor or administrator appointed under a court order may open and maintain an account as a fiduciary.1
Accounts handled elsewhere1
- Washington Trust Wealth Management
Estates where Washington Trust serves as personal representative3
Phone: 1-800-582-1076
What Washington Trust's agreement and guidance say3
- Telling the institution
The account holder agrees to notify the bank promptly if any person with a right to withdraw funds from the account dies.1
- What it does when notified
Until the bank knows of the death and has had a reasonable opportunity to act, it may keep honoring checks and instructions.1
- Payments after the death
The bank may pay checks drawn on or before the date of death for up to ten days after the death, unless someone claiming an interest in the account orders it to stop payment.1
Not in Washington Trust's published guidance1
- A procedure for reporting a death
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.
Claims Contact
Phone: 1-800-475-2265 ext. 1336
Email: loansupport@washtrust.com
Mailing address: The Washington Trust Company, Attn: Loan Operations, P.O. Box 512, Westerly, RI 02891
Federal law on calling a home loan after a death
These exemptions apply to a loan secured by residential real property containing less than five dwelling units.12 U.S.C. § 1701j-3(d); 12 CFR 191.5(b), 141.14Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
- A lender may not exercise a due-on-sale clause upon a transfer by devise, descent, or operation of law on the death of a joint tenant or tenant by the entirety.12 U.S.C. § 1701j-3(d)(3); 12 CFR 191.5(b)(1)(iii)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
- A lender may not exercise a due-on-sale clause upon a transfer to a relative resulting from the death of a borrower.12 U.S.C. § 1701j-3(d)(5)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
- A lender may not exercise a due-on-sale clause upon a transfer where the spouse or children of the borrower become an owner of the property.12 U.S.C. § 1701j-3(d)(6)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
A federal regulation sets further conditions on these transfers.12 CFR 191.5(b)(1)(v)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
Not in Washington Trust's published guidance1
- A list of required documents
Washington Trust's Customer Solutions Center can be reached by phone at 1-800-475-2265 for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
(8)·
- washtrust.com
- cdn.mantl.com
- washtrustwealth.com
- stdidwashtrustprod.blob.core.windows.net
- api.fdic.gov
- ir.washtrust.com
- s202.q4cdn.com
- webserver.rilegislature.gov
Data sourced from Washington Trust primary sources (33 pages reviewed). How we research.
Washington Trust death claims support
Customer Solutions Center
Phone
Hours
Mailing address
Estate planning articles
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Forms for Settling an Estate
Free forms for settling an estate: probate petition, small estate affidavit, creditor notice and closing forms. Prepare each form for your state.
Affidavit of Death
Put a joint owner's or a transfer on death deed owner's death on the land records with the affidavit your state's statute names, laid out for recording.
IRS Form 56
Notify the IRS that you are the fiduciary of an estate, a trust or a person, or end a notice filed before, on the official form.
Digital Assets Recovery Letter
Prepare a letter requesting a deceased person's online accounts, points, and balances from the program that holds them.
Petition for Probate and Letters
Open probate and ask the court to appoint you and issue Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
Notice to Creditors
Notify estate creditors and start the claim period — the published notice plus mailed copies for known creditors.
Renunciation of Executor
Decline an appointment as executor named in a will — the writing filed with the court before anyone is appointed.
Tools for Settling an Estate
Free tools for settling an estate: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for your state.
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Do I Need Probate?
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What Happens to Jointly Owned Property When an Owner Dies?
See what your state records when a joint tenant with right of survivorship dies: an affidavit, the death certificate or a new deed.
Do I Have to File Tax Returns for Someone Who Died?
Find out which tax returns need to be filed after someone dies and whether tax clearance is required.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Personalized plan for settling an estate after someone passes away.
What Do I Do When Someone Dies?
A step-by-step checklist for the days, weeks, and months after a death, with state rules noted where they apply.
