R15 ACH return code: Beneficiary or Account Holder Deceased
What R15 means
The person entitled to the payment, or the account holder, has died.
R15 key facts
| Official title | Beneficiary or Account Holder (Other Than a Representative Payee) Deceased |
|---|---|
| Returned by | Receiving bank (RDFI) |
| Time frame | 2 banking days The receiving bank must send the return so that it reaches the sending bank by the opening of business on the second banking day after the payment settled. |
| Applies to | Consumer accounts |
| Can you send it again? | No. Do not send it to this account again. |
| Type of return | Standard return |
Why R15 happens
- The account holder or the beneficiary of the payment has died.
What to do next
If you sent the payment
- Stop sending payments to this account.
- Contact the person's family or estate about any amount still owed.
- For federal benefit payments, this return also tells the agency about the death.
If you got the notice about your own account
- Tell the sender of the payment about the death.
- Ask the bank what it needs to settle the account.
Got a return file from your bank? Open it in the ACH file viewer to see the code next to each payment.
Sources
- Green Book: A Guide to Federal Government ACH Payments, US Treasury, Bureau of the Fiscal Service
- 2024 ACH Quick Reference Guide, EPCOR
- ACH Return, NOC and Transaction Codes, Commerce Bank
- ACH Return Reason Codes and Time Frames, CBS Bank
General information, not legal or financial advice. Rules change and banks set their own requirements. Check with your bank before you act. ACH Forms is not affiliated with Nacha.