What to do when a Wings CU account holder dies
Contact Wings CU's Member Services — 3-step process, 6 required documents, and pod and joint accounts processed upon verification of documents; estate accounts vary based on probate requirements
14985 Glazier Ave, Suite 100, Apple Valley, MN 55124
Member Services
14985 Glazier Ave, Suite 100, Apple Valley, MN 55124
Member Services - Estate/Deceased Accounts
Wings Credit Union, 14985 Glazier Ave, Suite 100, Apple Valley, MN 55124
When a member of Wings CU passes away, the Member Services - Estate/Deceased Accounts handles the transition of accounts to beneficiaries or the estate. Accounts with Payable on Death designations or trust ownership transfer outside of probate, while solely-owned accounts may require Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from the probate court.
Wings CU 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.
Death claim process
To file a claim after an account holder's death, here is what Wings CU requires:
Filing a claim
- Contact Wings Member Services at 800-692-2274 or visit any branch to report the death
- Gather required documents based on account type
- For POD accounts: beneficiary provides certified death certificate and government-issued photo ID to claim funds
- For joint accounts with right of survivorship: surviving owner provides certified death certificate to remove deceased
- For non-POD/non-joint accounts: executor or administrator provides estate documents (Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration) and completes the Personal Representative Information Form (available at https://www.wingscu.com/getmedia/117a8ea3-810d-4a64-8eea-4549759a26e0/personal_representative_information_form.pdf)
- For trust accounts: successor trustee provides certified death certificate, trust documents, and trustee identification
- For small estates without probate: a Minnesota heir may present an Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property (small estate affidavit) once the entire probate estate is confirmed at $75,000 or less and at least 30 days have passed since death (Minn. Stat. 524.3-1201; court form PRO202 at https://mncourts.gov/mncourtsgov/media/CourtForms/PRO202.pdf). Accounts held at legacy Ent branches in Colorado follow Colorado small-estate procedures
- An Estate Account may be established if either the deceased person or the Personal Representative has had a relationship with Wings for the past six months
- Wings may continue to honor transactions on an account until notified of the death
- Once notified, Wings may honor payments authorized by the deceased for up to 10 days unless instructed to stop by a person claiming an interest in the account
- Surviving family members should update their own beneficiary designations
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for claimant
- Completed Personal Representative Information Form (for estate claims)
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if no POD/joint account)
- Minnesota Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property (small estate affidavit) when the entire probate estate does not exceed $75,000 and 30 days have passed since death (Minn. Stat. 524.3-1201); Colorado small estate affidavit for accounts at legacy Ent branches
- Trust documents and successor trustee identification (if trust is named as beneficiary)
What to know at this institution
Post-merger note: accounts held at former Ent branches in Colorado may require contacting the Colorado Springs office until systems integration is complete (expected 2028). For investment accounts held through LPL Financial, a separate claims process may apply; contact Wings Financial Advisors.
Prepare your letter of instruction to Wings CU
Wings CU provides its own letter-of-instruction form. Answer a few questions and we complete that official form for you to print and sign.
Build your letter of instructionExpected timelines at Wings CU: POD and joint accounts processed upon verification of documents; estate accounts vary based on probate requirements. Delays are almost always caused by incomplete paperwork—gathering all required documents before filing the initial claim helps avoid back-and-forth.
Documentation required by Wings CU includes Certified death certificate, Government-issued photo ID for claimant, and Completed Personal Representative Information Form (for estate claims), along with additional paperwork that varies by account type. All death certificates and court documents must be certified copies.
Frequently asked questions
Funds in POD accounts are payable to the designated beneficiaries upon presentation of a certified death certificate and government-issued photo ID. If multiple POD beneficiaries are designated, funds are distributed according to the percentage allocation specified on the beneficiary designation form.
Wings offers investment services through Wings Financial Advisors in partnership with LPL Financial. Available products include Guided Wealth Portfolios ($5,000 minimum), brokerage accounts with stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and ETFs. Wings Financial Advisors are salaried Credit Union employees. Investment accounts can be titled to a trust or have TOD (Transfer on Death) beneficiary designations. These products are not NCUA insured.
Yes, you can name a trust as the beneficiary of your Traditional or Roth IRA at Wings Credit Union. However, IRA accounts cannot be retitled directly into the name of a trust -- they must remain in the individual account holder's name. The trust receives the IRA proceeds upon the account holder's death according to the beneficiary designation. Naming a trust as IRA beneficiary may have tax implications; consult a tax advisor before making this designation.
Yes. If the decedent's entire probate estate is $75,000 or less, a Minnesota heir can collect a Wings deposit account with an Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property (small estate affidavit) rather than opening probate, provided at least 30 days have passed since the death (Minn. Stat. 524.3-1201; court form PRO202). Present the completed affidavit with a certified death certificate and your government-issued photo ID to Wings Member Services at 800-692-2274 or any branch. Accounts held at legacy Ent branches in Colorado follow Colorado's separate small-estate procedures until systems integration is complete.
The Personal Representative Information Form is used when a court-appointed personal representative (executor or administrator) needs to process estate settlement transactions on a deceased member's accounts. Wings may permit the personal representative to manage the accounts upon completion of this form and receipt of required documentation such as Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration. An Estate Account may be established if either the deceased or the personal representative has had a relationship with Wings for the past six months. The form is available at wingscu.com/forms-disclosures.
Wings CU's Member Services - Estate/Deceased Accounts can be reached by phone at 1-800-692-2274 and email at info@wingsfinancial.com for questions throughout the claims process.
If the deceased held multiple Wings CU accounts, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The Member Services - Estate/Deceased Accounts can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.
Sources
Data sourced from Wings CU primary sources (33 pages reviewed). How we research.
14985 Glazier Ave, Suite 100, Apple Valley, MN 55124
Member Services
14985 Glazier Ave, Suite 100, Apple Valley, MN 55124
Member Services - Estate/Deceased Accounts
Wings Credit Union, 14985 Glazier Ave, Suite 100, Apple Valley, MN 55124
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