What to do when a Woodforest account holder dies
Report the death to Woodforest at 1-877-968-7962
After an account holder at Woodforest 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 Woodforest with the proper legal authority documents.
The claim process begins with a phone call to the institution. Have the account holder's full name, account numbers, and the death certificate available when making initial contact.
Death claim process
Follow these steps to file a death claim with Woodforest:
Filing a claim
- Woodforest asks each person opening an account for a name, address, date of birth, and a driver's license and other identifying documents.
- Woodforest requires a certified taxpayer identification number for the account.
Required Documents
- Court order appointing the executor or administrator (letters), to open an estate account
- Driver's license and other identifying documents, for the person opening the estate account
What happens to each kind of account4
- Account in one name
A single-owner account with no pay-on-death designation passes as part of the owner's estate.1
- Joint account with survivorship
A joint account with right of survivorship passes to the surviving owners. After the last surviving owner dies, any pay-on-death beneficiaries receive it.1
- Payable-on-death account
An account with a pay-on-death designation passes to the designated pay-on-death beneficiaries and is not part of the owner's estate.1
- Fiduciary account
Woodforest's Terms and Conditions allow an account to be opened and maintained by executors or administrators under court orders.1
State law on paying a balance without letters9 states
- Florida
Permits a bank to pay up to $2,000 on an affidavitFla. Stat. § 735.303Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
- Georgia
Permits a bank to pay up to $15,000 on an affidavitO.C.G.A. § 7-1-239Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
- Kentucky
Directs a bank to pay up to $2,500 on an order of the courtKRS 391.030(2)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
- Louisiana
Permits a bank to pay up to $20,000 on an affidavitLa. R.S. 6:315.1Verified Oct 3, 2026View sourceLa. R.S. 6:315.1
Permits a bank to pay up to $20,000 on an affidavitLa. R.S. 9:1513Verified Oct 3, 2026View sourceLa. R.S. 9:1513
- Mississippi
Permits a bank to pay up to $12,500 on a signed receipt or releaseMiss. Code Ann. § 81-5-63Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
- New York
Permits a bank to pay up to $30,000 on an affidavitN.Y. SCPA § 1310Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
- Pennsylvania
Directs a bank to pay up to $20,000 on an affidavit20 Pa.C.S. § 3101(b)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
- Texas
Permits a bank to pay up to $5,000 on an order of the courtTex. Est. Code § 152.051Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
- West Virginia
Permits a bank to pay up to $5,000 on an affidavitW. Va. Code § 44-1-28(c), (d)Verified Oct 3, 2026View source
What Woodforest's agreement and guidance say4
- Telling the institution
Woodforest's Terms and Conditions ask that it be notified promptly when a person with a right to withdraw funds from an account dies.1
- Payments after the death
Until Woodforest knows of the death and has had a reasonable opportunity to act, it may keep honoring checks and instructions. It may pay checks drawn on or before the date of death for up to ten days after the death unless someone claiming an interest in the account orders a stop payment.1
- Powers of attorney
An authorized signer's authority ends automatically at the owner's death. Woodforest may keep honoring the signer's transactions until it receives written notice or actual knowledge of the death and has a reasonable opportunity to act.1
- Which state governs the account
Woodforest's Terms and Conditions set out separate ownership rules for each state it serves. An account follows the law of the state where the branch that opened it is located, and accounts opened online follow Texas law.1
Not in Woodforest's published guidance2
- A procedure for reporting a death
- Whether the death certificate must be certified
Sources1
- 1.Terms and Conditions, Effective August 1, 2026
Sources
(3)·
Data sourced from Woodforest primary sources (22 pages reviewed). How we research.
Woodforest death claims support
Phone
Toll-free
Customer Service (Houston)
24-Hour Account Information
Lost or Stolen Debit Card
Servicemember Assistance (Loan Operations)
Hours
Mailing address
Website
Death notifications go through general customer service.
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your Woodforest accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
Is this your situation?
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
Forms for Settling an Estate
Free forms for settling an estate: probate petition, small estate affidavit, creditor notice and closing forms. Prepare each form for your state.
Affidavit of Death
Put a joint owner's or a transfer on death deed owner's death on the land records with the affidavit your state's statute names, laid out for recording.
IRS Form 56
Notify the IRS that you are the fiduciary of an estate, a trust or a person, or end a notice filed before, on the official form.
Digital Assets Recovery Letter
Prepare a letter requesting a deceased person's online accounts, points, and balances from the program that holds them.
Petition for Probate and Letters
Open probate and ask the court to appoint you and issue Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
Notice to Creditors
Notify estate creditors and start the claim period — the published notice plus mailed copies for known creditors.
Renunciation of Executor
Decline an appointment as executor named in a will — the writing filed with the court before anyone is appointed.
Tools for Settling an Estate
Free tools for settling an estate: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for your state.
How Many Death Certificates Do I Need?
Calculate how many certified death certificates you need and see ordering info for your state.
Do I Need Probate?
Find out if an estate needs probate or qualifies for simplified procedures.
What Happens to Jointly Owned Property When an Owner Dies?
See what your state records when a joint tenant with right of survivorship dies: an affidavit, the death certificate or a new deed.
Do I Have to File Tax Returns for Someone Who Died?
Find out which tax returns need to be filed after someone dies and whether tax clearance is required.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Personalized plan for settling an estate after someone passes away.
What Do I Do When Someone Dies?
A step-by-step checklist for the days, weeks, and months after a death, with state rules noted where they apply.
