What to do when a Western Alliance account holder dies
Report the death to Western Alliance's Personal Customer Service at 1-888-271-0610
After an account holder at Western Alliance dies, accounts with beneficiary designations or trust ownership transfer to the designated recipients without probate. Solely-owned accounts require the estate's representative to contact Western Alliance's Personal Customer Service at 1-888-271-0610 with the proper legal authority documents.
Begin by calling Western Alliance at 1-888-271-0610. You will need the deceased's full name, account numbers, and the death certificate to get the process started.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
Here is the step-by-step death claim process at Western Alliance:
Filing a claim
Required Documents
- Written notice of the death
- Evidence of the deathThe bank pays a payable-on-death account once it receives sufficient evidence of the death of the last account holder.
- Documents showing the authority of the estate administrator, trustee or other fiduciaryAs the bank requires.
What happens to each kind of account5
- Payable-on-death account
The bank pays a payable-on-death account to the named beneficiaries once it receives sufficient evidence of the death of the last account holder.1
- Joint account with survivorship
Joint account holders are joint tenants with right of survivorship unless the signature card says otherwise, so the funds pass to the surviving holder.1
- Account in one name
On the death of the last surviving owner, the balance is paid as permitted or required by law and under the bank's security procedures.1
- Fiduciary account
For an estate or other fiduciary account, the bank may require documents and authorizations showing that the person directing a withdrawal has authority to do so, at account opening and at all times after. The bank has no fiduciary duties to an executor.1
- Certificate of deposit
A certificate of deposit may be withdrawn before maturity without an early withdrawal penalty upon the death of any owner, at the bank's discretion.1
What Western Alliance's agreement and guidance say7
- Telling the institution
The Deposit Account Agreement asks for prompt notice of the death of any account owner or authorized signer.1
- Payments after the death
Until the bank receives written notice of the death from you or a court, it may continue to honor checks, items and instructions from those authorized on the account.1
- What it does when notified
Once the bank learns of a death, it may freeze, refuse or reverse deposits and transactions.1
A High-Yield Savings Premier account may be restricted or closed when the bank has a reasonable basis to believe the owner has died.2
- Deposits after the death
Once the bank learns of a death, it may return government benefit payments made to the account holder.1
- Who can get account information
After an account owner's death, account information is furnished on request to the duly appointed estate administrator, trustee or attorney.1
- Wills, probate and small estates
The bank may take direction from court-appointed personal representatives from states other than the one where the account was opened.1
- Indemnity a claimant may have to give
A person acting for an estate account agrees to indemnify the bank against claims by beneficiaries or third parties.1
Not in Western Alliance's published guidance3
- A procedure for reporting a death
- A claim form
- Whether the death certificate must be certified
Sources2
- 1.Deposit Account Agreement and Disclosure, Effective October 2023
- 2.High-Yield Savings Premier Terms and Conditions, Effective December 2024
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: 1-888-271-0610
Hours: Monday-Friday 6:00 AM-6:00 PM PT; Saturday 8:00 AM-2:00 PM PT
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
Accounts handled elsewhere1
- AmeriHome Mortgage Company, LLC
First mortgages. AmeriHome is a Western Alliance Bank company; the line is its customer service for existing accounts1
Phone: 1-888-469-0810
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM PT
Not in Western Alliance's published guidance2
- A procedure for reporting a death
- A list of required documents
Sources1
Western Alliance's Personal Customer Service can be reached by phone at 1-888-271-0610 for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
- westernalliancebancorporation.com
- amerihome.com
- api.fdic.gov
- highyieldsavings-api.westernalliancebank.com
- investors.westernalliancebancorporation.com
- westernalliancetrust.com
Data sourced from Western Alliance primary sources (20 pages reviewed). How we research.
Western Alliance death claims support
Personal Customer Service
Phone
Hours
Mailing address
Website
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