Claim M-PESA Funds: Losing a loved one is never easy, and managing their financial matters can add an extra layer of difficulty during an already tough time.
If your deceased relative had an M-PESA account, you might be wondering how to access any remaining funds. This guide will walk you through the necessary steps to claim your family member’s M-PESA balance as efficiently as possible.
Required Documents
To access the M-PESA funds of a deceased family member, you will need to visit a Safaricom retail center with the following documents:
- Your national ID
- The deceased’s death certificate
- An affidavit confirming your relationship to the deceased
- A letter from the local county administration providing details about the deceased and the beneficiaries
- For accounts with over KSh 30,000, a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration will also be required
How to Claim M-PESA Funds
To claim the M-PESA funds after a loved one’s passing, follow these steps:
- Visit a Safaricom Retail Center: Bring the necessary documents to your nearest Safaricom retail location.
- Submit the Documents: Hand over the documents for verification. Safaricom will then 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 the Funds: Once all documents are verified, the funds will be transferred to your registered M-PESA account within a few days.
To receive the funds, you must have an active M-PESA account. They cannot be paid out in any other form.
Unclaimed M-PESA Funds
By law, Safaricom must transfer unclaimed M-PESA funds to the Unclaimed Financial Assets Authority (UFAA) after a certain period.
Funds can become unclaimed if an M-PESA account holder dies without anyone claiming the balance or if a Safaricom line is abandoned with money still in the account. Safaricom holds these unclaimed funds for two years after the account is archived.
After this period, the funds are transferred to the UFAA. As of 2021, Safaricom had already transferred KES 266 million in unclaimed M-PESA assets to the UFAA, with an earlier transfer of KES 500 million in 2015.
Once the funds have been handed over to the UFAA, they can no longer be claimed directly from Safaricom. To recover these assets, individuals must contact the UFAA directly.
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