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Subsidiary of Woodforest Financial Group, Inc.

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How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at Woodforest

Trust paperwork is taken in branch

Estate planning for your Woodforest accounts starts with understanding how each one transfers at death. Beneficiary designations and trust retitling both bypass probate, but the right approach depends on the account type, your tax situation, and how much control you want over distributions.

Woodforest offers 14 accounts, each with its own transfer rules. The sections below cover how to set up beneficiaries, fund a trust, and which products support each approach.

Woodforest CheckingPlatinum Plus CheckingChoice CheckingSterling Advantage AccountSecond Chance CheckingWBank AccountSavings AccountEmerald Elite AccountBig AccountCertificate of Deposit
1
Ask Woodforest to record the P.O.D. beneficiary designation on the account
  • Visit a branch or call 1-877-968-7962 (Monday-Saturday, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM CT) with questions about the account

What Woodforest says about beneficiaries and trusts

Each section is Woodforest's own statement, with the document it comes from numbered under Sources.

Which accounts take a beneficiary1

Payable-on-death account

Woodforest applies the ownership form and beneficiary designation specified on its account records, and reserves the right to refuse some forms of ownership and beneficiary designations.1

What Woodforest's agreement says about beneficiaries3

Changing or revoking a designation

Under the Terms and Conditions, the person who creates a pay-on-death account may change beneficiaries at any time.1

What the owner keeps while living

The person who creates a pay-on-death account may change the account type and withdraw all or part of the funds at any time. A beneficiary cannot withdraw until every person who created the account has died, and only if the beneficiary is then living.1

Which state governs the account

Woodforest's Terms and Conditions set out separate pay-on-death and survivorship rules for each state it serves.1

The account follows the law of the state where the branch that opened it is located; accounts opened online follow Texas law.1

State requirements Woodforest statesIllinois, Indiana

Illinois

In Illinois the person creating a pay-on-death account may elect a per stirpes distribution option for the descendants of a beneficiary who is a natural person.1

Indiana

In Indiana the owner may choose whether a beneficiary's share passes to that beneficiary's descendants.1

Which accounts a trust can hold1

Trust account

An account may be opened and maintained by a person or persons named as trustee under a written trust agreement. Woodforest reserves the right to refuse some forms of account ownership.1

What Woodforest says about trust accounts1

Review of the trust document

By opening a trust account, Woodforest does not act as trustee and takes on no obligation to monitor or enforce the terms of the trust.1

Not in Woodforest's published guidance3

  • What the owner provides to name a beneficiary
  • A beneficiary designation procedure
  • A list of trust documents

Sources1

  1. 1.Terms and Conditions, Effective August 1, 2026

Sources

(3)·

Data sourced from Woodforest primary sources (22 pages reviewed). How we research.

Download these Woodforest instructions

A printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details, verified against Woodforest primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.

Download instructions for the whole estate

Woodforest estate support

Customer Service (Houston)

24-Hour Account Information

Lost or Stolen Debit Card

Servicemember Assistance (Loan Operations)

Hours

Monday-Saturday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM CT

Mailing address

Woodforest National Bank, P.O. Box 7889, The Woodlands, TX 77387-7889

Estate requests go through general customer service.

Verified Sep 2026

Estate planning articles

Learn how to protect your Woodforest accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.

Forms for Planning Your Estate

Free forms for planning your estate: will, living trust, pour-over will, powers of attorney and TOD deed. Prepare each form for your state and download the PDF.

Free

Pour-Over Will

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$12/month

Revocable Living Trust

Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.

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Last Will and Testament

Name your heirs, guardians, and final wishes. Free for every state.

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Codicil to a Will

Add, revoke or replace provisions of your will and republish the rest, signed as your state requires for a will.

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Healthcare Power of Attorney

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HIPAA Release

Name who may receive your medical records, in the authorization federal law requires, with your state's rules for sensitive records. Free for every state.

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Financial Power of Attorney

Name someone to manage your finances if you can't.

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Free

Transfer on Death Deed

Transfer real property to a beneficiary upon your death without probate. Available in 34 states and the District of Columbia.

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Tools for Planning Your Estate

Free tools for planning your estate: will and trust costs, trust or TOD deed, and the signing rules. Run each tool for your state and read its answer.

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Do I Need a Revocable Trust?

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Trust or Will: Which Costs Less?

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Whether a gift owes federal gift tax, how much of the annual exclusion and lifetime exemption it uses, and whether Form 709 is due.

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What Does Estate Planning Actually Cost?

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How Much Life Insurance Do I Need?

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Are My Beneficiary Designations Protected?

Check how divorce, creditors, and state laws affect your beneficiary designations.

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