What to do when a Webster account holder dies
Contact Webster's Fiduciary & Trust Services (Webster Private Bank) — 10-step process, 7 required documents, and pod beneficiaries can typically access funds once death certificate and id are verified. estate accounts require probate court documentation, which varies by state.
Webster
Subsidiary of Webster Financial Corporation (pending Santander acquisition, announced Feb 2026)
websterbank.com →
Phone1-800-325-2424
Mailing Address
200 Elm Street, Stamford, CT 06902
Fiduciary & Trust Services (Webster Private Bank)
Phone1-800-325-2424
Mailing Address
200 Elm Street, Stamford, CT 06902
WebsiteLearn more →
Phone1-800-325-2424
Mailing Address
Webster Bank, N.A., 200 Elm Street, Stamford, CT 06902
Verified Mar 2026
When a Webster 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 Webster's Fiduciary & Trust Services (Webster Private Bank) (1-800-325-2424) to access and distribute the funds.
Gather the account holder's full name, date of birth, and any known account or policy numbers before contacting Webster. A certified death certificate is the primary document required to start any claim.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
Here is the step-by-step death claim process at Webster:
Filing a claim
1Contact Webster Bank by calling 1-800-325-2424 or visit a banking center to notify the bank of the account holder's passing
2Provide the deceased's full name, date of death, and account information if known
3Submit a certified death certificate (original or certified copy)
4For POD accounts: beneficiaries provide government-issued photo ID, Social Security number, and certified death certificate to claim funds
5For joint accounts: surviving joint owner retains full access; provide death certificate to update account records
6For estate accounts: executor provides Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from probate court (certified within 60 days)
7For small estates: provide Small Estate Affidavit if estate qualifies under applicable state law
8For trust accounts: successor trustee provides trust documentation with successor trustee provisions and identification
9Webster reviews documentation and processes the claim
10Assets distributed per beneficiary designation, trust terms, or estate instructions
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate (original or certified copy)
- Government-issued photo ID for claimant
- Social Security number or tax ID of claimant
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (for estate accounts, certified within 60 days)
- Small Estate Affidavit (if estate qualifies under state law)
- Trust documents with successor trustee provisions (if trust-owned account)
- Court order or other documentation as deemed necessary by Webster Bank
Estate accounts require letters of appointment by the probate court. For accounts held through Webster Private Bank or fiduciary services, contact your Private Client Relationship Manager directly. Joint accounts with right of survivorship pass automatically to the surviving owner.
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 Webster Bank of the borrower's death by calling 1-800-325-2424 or visiting a banking center
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 Webster'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)
6Webster 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), Webster 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. For loss mitigation or foreclosure prevention assistance, call 800-270-5300.
Processing timelines at Webster: POD beneficiaries can typically access funds once death certificate and ID are verified. Estate accounts require probate court documentation, which varies by state.. Incomplete documentation is the most common cause of delays—submitting all required documents with the initial claim helps avoid additional processing time.
Webster requires several documents to process a claim, including Certified death certificate (original or certified copy), Government-issued photo ID for claimant, and Social Security number or tax ID of claimant, 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 Webster banking center or call 1-800-325-2424 to request a POD (Payable on Death) beneficiary designation form. You will need the beneficiary's full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, and relationship. During your lifetime, you reserve the right to change beneficiaries, change account types, withdraw funds, or close the account. The most recent beneficiary designation supersedes any prior designation.
Contact Webster Bank at 1-800-325-2424 or visit a banking center. For POD accounts, named beneficiaries can claim funds by presenting a certified death certificate and government-issued photo ID. For joint accounts with right of survivorship, the surviving owner retains full access. For estate accounts, the executor must provide Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from probate court.
At minimum, you will need a certified death certificate and government-issued photo ID. Depending on account type and your role, you may also need Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from probate court, a Small Estate Affidavit (if the estate qualifies under state law), or trust documents with successor trustee provisions.
Webster's Fiduciary & Trust Services (Webster Private Bank) can be reached by phone at 1-800-325-2424 for questions throughout the claims process.
If the deceased held multiple Webster accounts, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The Fiduciary & Trust Services (Webster Private Bank) can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.
Webster
Subsidiary of Webster Financial Corporation (pending Santander acquisition, announced Feb 2026)
websterbank.com →Phone1-800-325-2424
Mailing Address
200 Elm Street, Stamford, CT 06902
Fiduciary & Trust Services (Webster Private Bank)
Phone1-800-325-2424
Mailing Address
200 Elm Street, Stamford, CT 06902
WebsiteLearn more →
Phone1-800-325-2424
Mailing Address
Webster Bank, N.A., 200 Elm Street, Stamford, CT 06902
Verified Mar 2026
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