What to do when a Wintrust account holder dies
Report the death to Wintrust Community Banks Customer Service at 1-800-856-0212
After an account holder at Wintrust 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 Wintrust Community Banks Customer Service at 1-800-856-0212 with the proper legal authority documents.
The claim process begins with a phone call to 1-800-856-0212. Have the account holder's full name, account numbers, and the death certificate available when making initial contact.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
To file a claim after an account holder's death, here is what Wintrust requires:
Filing a claim
What happens to each kind of account3
- Account in one name
On a single-party account without a payable-on-death designation, ownership passes on the party's death as part of the party's estate, under the will or by intestacy.1
- Joint account with survivorship
On a multiple-party account with rights of survivorship, a deceased party's ownership passes to the surviving parties.1
- Payable-on-death account
On a single-party account with a payable-on-death designation, ownership passes on the party's death to the payable-on-death beneficiaries. The account is not part of the party's estate.1
On a multiple-party survivorship account with a payable-on-death designation, ownership passes to the payable-on-death beneficiaries on the death of the last surviving party.1
State law on paying a balance without lettersFlorida
- Florida
Fla. Stat. § 735.303
Florida law permits a bank to pay from a deceased depositor's balance on an affidavit made under oath, without letters testamentary or letters of administration.Fla. Stat. § 735.303Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
Paid to: family member (surviving spouse; else adult child; else adult descendant; else parent)
Limit: $2,000 held at the institution and $2,000 in total from every holder
When: not earlier than 6 months after the date of the decedent’s death
The section permits the payment. It does not require the bank to make it. The section sets further conditions.
Accounts handled elsewhere2
- Wintrust Private Trust Company, N.A.
Estate settlement services2
Phone: 1-877-243-4048
- ATM/Debit Card Services
ATM and debit cards2
Phone: 1-800-236-2442
Not in Wintrust's published guidance2
- A procedure for reporting a death
- A list of required documents
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.
- Wintrust Mortgage reviews the loan for a repayment plan, forbearance, loan modification, short sale, or deed-in-lieu of foreclosure
- It sends a letter listing the options within 30 days of receiving all the information it needs
Required Documents
- Written request naming each borrower, with the loan number and the information requested, for written requests about the loan
- Signed authorization, when a payoff quote is to go to a third party
Claims Contact
Phone: 1-866-718-7899
Mailing address: Residential Loan Servicing, PO Box 714, Rosemont, IL 60018
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
- Wintrust Mortgage General Support
General support for Wintrust Mortgage1
What Wintrust provides to the estate1
- Payoff statement
Payoff quotes are requested by email to loanservicing@wintrust.com or by fax to 224-537-1304, with the name, account number, good-through date, and a signed authorization when the quote is to go to a third party.2, 3
Sources3
Wintrust Community Banks Customer Service can be reached by phone at 1-800-856-0212 for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
Data sourced from Wintrust primary sources (26 pages reviewed). How we research.
Wintrust death claims support
Wintrust Community Banks Customer Service
Phone
Wintrust Customer Service (Digital Banking Agreement)
Wintrust Wealth Management / Wintrust Private Trust Company
Wintrust Mortgage Residential Loan Servicing
Wintrust Mortgage General Support
Hours
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