Losing a loved one is always difficult, and dealing with their financial affairs can add extra stress during an already challenging time.
If your family member had an M-PESA account, you may be wondering how to access any remaining funds.
In this article, WoK will walk you through the process step-by-step to help you claim your deceased relative’s M-PESA funds as smoothly as possible.
Required documents
To claim a deceased family member’s M-PESA funds, you must visit a Safaricom retail center with the following documents;
- Your national ID
- The deceased’s death certificate
- An affidavit stating your relationship to the deceased
- A letter from the local county administration confirming details about the deceased and beneficiaries
- For accounts over KSh 30,000, you’ll also need a Grant of Probate/Letters of Administration
How to claim M-PESA funds
To claim M-PESA funds after a family member’s death, follow these steps;
- Visit a Safaricom retail center: Bring the documents to a nearby Safaricom retail center.
- Submit documents: Present your documents for verification. Safaricom will freeze the deceased’s M-PESA account to prevent further transactions.
- Complete the claim form: Fill out the next of kin claim form provided by Safaricom.
- Receive funds: If all documents are in order, the funds will be transferred to your registered M-PESA account within a few days.
Ensure you have a registered M-PESA account to receive the funds, as they cannot be paid out in any other form.
Safaricom is required by law to hand over unclaimed M-PESA funds to the Unclaimed Financial Assets Authority (UFAA) after a specified period.
Funds can become unclaimed if the M-PESA account holder passes away without anyone claiming the balance, or if a Safaricom line is abandoned with remaining funds.
Safaricom retains unclaimed funds for two years from the date the account is archived.
After this period, the company must surrender the funds to the UFAA.
As of 2021, Safaricom had already transferred KES 266 million in unclaimed M-PESA assets to the UFAA, and in 2015, the amount reported was KES 500 million.
Once Safaricom transfers the unclaimed funds to the UFAA, these funds can no longer be claimed directly from Safaricom.
Instead, the process requires individuals to contact the UFAA to make a claim on the unclaimed assets.
