What to do when a Wintrust account holder dies
Contact Wintrust's Wintrust Private Trust Company, N.A. — 9-step process, 5 required documents, and varies based on account type and documentation completeness; pod claims typically faster than probate-required accounts
Phone1-800-856-0212
Mailing Address
231 South LaSalle Street, Chicago, IL 60604
Wintrust Private Trust Company, N.A.
Phone1-877-243-4048
Mailing Address
231 South LaSalle Street, 13th Floor, Chicago, IL 60604
WebsiteLearn more →
Phone1-800-856-0212
Mailing Address
Wintrust, P.O. Box 2027, Des Plaines, IL 60017
Verified Mar 2026
When a Wintrust 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 Wintrust's Wintrust Private Trust Company, N.A. (1-800-856-0212) 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 Wintrust. 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 Wintrust:
Filing a claim
1Contact Wintrust Bank customer service at 1-800-856-0212 or visit a local branch to report the death
2Provide deceased account holder information including full legal name and account numbers if known
3Submit a certified copy of the death certificate
4For POD accounts: beneficiary provides certified death certificate and valid government-issued ID to claim funds
5For joint accounts with right of survivorship: surviving owner provides death certificate to remove deceased from account
6For non-POD accounts: executor or administrator provides Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from probate court
7For trust-owned accounts: successor trustee provides trust documents, trustee certification, and identification
8Bank reviews documentation and processes claim
9Assets distributed per beneficiary designation, trust instructions, or estate directives
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for beneficiary, executor, or trustee
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if no POD/TOD designation and account goes through probate)
- Trust documents and trustee certification (if trust is beneficiary or account is trust-owned)
- Small Estate Affidavit (if eligible under applicable state law)
Wintrust Private Trust Company provides estate settlement and fiduciary services for complex estates. Contact Wintrust Wealth at 877-243-4048. ATM/Debit Card Services: 1-800-236-2442. 24/7 Telebank: 1-866-721-2455.
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 Wintrust Mortgage of the borrower's death by calling the Residential Loan Servicing department at 855-932-7782
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 Wintrust Mortgage's 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)
6Wintrust Mortgage 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), Wintrust Mortgage 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 and are entitled to account information, loss mitigation options, and assumption rights. General Wintrust Mortgage customer service: 800-999-2649. Wintrust Mortgage headquarters: 9700 W. Higgins Road, Suite 300, Rosemont, IL 60018.
Processing timelines at Wintrust: Varies based on account type and documentation completeness; POD claims typically faster than probate-required accounts. Incomplete documentation is the most common cause of delays—submitting all required documents with the initial claim helps avoid additional processing time.
Wintrust requires several documents to process a claim, including Certified death certificate, Government-issued photo ID for beneficiary, executor, or trustee, and Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if no POD/TOD designation and account goes through probate), 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 Wintrust community bank location to complete a POD (Payable on Death) beneficiary designation form. Bring the beneficiary's full legal name, address, date of birth, and your government-issued ID. POD designations are available for checking, savings, CDs, and money market accounts. This process is not available online.
If you have POD beneficiaries designated, the assets transfer directly to them upon presentation of a certified death certificate and valid government-issued ID. Joint accounts with right of survivorship pass to the surviving owner. Without POD or joint ownership, accounts go through probate and require Letters Testamentary or Administration. Contact Wintrust at 1-800-856-0212 or visit a branch.
Call 1-800-856-0212 or visit any Wintrust community bank location. You will need a certified death certificate, your government-issued ID, and documentation of your legal authority (POD beneficiary status, Letters Testamentary, or trustee certification). For complex estates, Wintrust Private Trust Company offers estate settlement services at 877-243-4048.
Wintrust's Wintrust Private Trust Company, N.A. can be reached by phone at 1-800-856-0212 for questions throughout the claims process.
If the deceased held multiple Wintrust accounts, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The Wintrust Private Trust Company, N.A. can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.
Phone1-800-856-0212
Mailing Address
231 South LaSalle Street, Chicago, IL 60604
Wintrust Private Trust Company, N.A.
Phone1-877-243-4048
Mailing Address
231 South LaSalle Street, 13th Floor, Chicago, IL 60604
WebsiteLearn more →
Phone1-800-856-0212
Mailing Address
Wintrust, P.O. Box 2027, Des Plaines, IL 60017
Verified Mar 2026
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