Notifying Banks After a Death: Steps, Documents and Timing

Contact each bank once you have certified copies of the death certificate. The bank will usually restrict the account and tell you what proof it needs before it releases anything. Who can do what depends on how the account is owned: a sole account generally needs an executor or administrator with court authority, while joint and payable-on-death (POD) accounts often pass straight to the survivor or named beneficiary.

Who can notify a bank, and who can touch the money?

Almost anyone close to the person can tell a bank that an account holder has died. Getting access to the money is a different matter.

• Next of kin can usually report the death, but that does not give them any right to withdraw or move funds.
• An executor is named in the will. A court confirms the role with "letters testamentary," which banks accept as proof of authority.
• An administrator does the same job when there is no will. The court issues "letters of administration."
• A power of attorney stops working at death. Legal references are clear that these powers last only while the person is alive, so a child who paid a parent's bills under a POA must stop and hand over to the executor.

If you are not sure who has authority, our guide to what an executor does explains the role, and the probate guide covers how authority is granted.

What to do first, step by step

1. Order certified death certificates. Banks often want an original or certified copy for each institution. Our guide on how many death certificates you need helps you decide how many to order.
2. List the accounts you know about. Look through recent statements, mail, email and tax paperwork, and check the phone for banking apps. Online-only banks leave no paper trail.
3. Note the automatic payments. Mortgage, insurance, utilities and subscriptions may all come out of the account. Decide which must continue, and tell those companies about the death (see our guides on mortgages and insurance).
4. Call or visit each bank. Ask for the estate, bereavement or deceased-accounts team. They handle this daily and can give you a checklist for that bank.
5. Send what they ask for, and keep copies. Write down the date, who you spoke to, and any reference number.
6. Ask for date-of-death balances. The executor needs the balance on the day of death, including interest, to list the estate's assets and support any tax filings.

What documents do banks ask for?

Requirements differ by bank and state, so ask before you send anything. These are the usual items.

The will itself is often not enough. A will names the executor, but the bank wants the court's letters before it moves money from a sole account. Some states let heirs skip probate for small estates with a small-estate affidavit, and the dollar limits vary widely by state. Our small estate guide explains how it works.

What happens to each type of account?

How the account is titled controls who gets the money.

Our guides on joint accounts after a death and payable-on-death accounts go deeper on the last two.

Even when you are a surviving joint owner, tell the bank. It needs to update its records, and you may have to change automatic payments, statements and tax details.

Can you pay for the funeral from the account?

This is the question most families face in the first week. The short answer is that the account is frozen or restricted for the estate, but some banks have a process for paying a funeral home directly. You would normally give the bank an itemized funeral invoice and the death certificate. Policies differ by bank and by state, so ask before relying on it.

Do not use the person's debit card, checkbook or online banking to pay, even for a good reason. You are not the account holder, and those payments can cause trouble for the estate later. If you pay the funeral bill yourself, keep the receipt. Families often get reimbursed from the estate, but the order in which debts are paid is set by state law. Our guide on accessing a bank account for funeral costs covers the options in more detail.

Do you need an estate account?

Once an executor or administrator has authority, they often open an estate account. They normally need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) for the estate, which the IRS issues and which can be used to open a bank account. The account keeps the estate's money separate from your own, which makes record-keeping and the final accounting much easier. Bills and any refunds for the estate then flow through it.

Is the money safe while the account is open?

Deposits stay federally insured. Under FDIC rules, the death of a deposit owner does not change coverage for six months, unless the account is restructured. The standard insured limit is $250,000, so this mostly matters if the balance at one bank is large. After six months, coverage follows the ownership rules for whoever now owns the account. If the balance is near or above the limit, ask the bank how the account is insured or speak to a probate attorney.

How do you guard against fraud and scams?

Thieves read obituaries. The CFPB warns that scammers pose as debt collectors after a death, hoping to get a relative's Social Security number or a payment.

• Do not give personal details to an unexpected caller. Ask for written details of the debt.
• Real collectors can speak with the executor or administrator. They cannot pressure other relatives into paying.
• Ask each bank to note the account as deceased so nobody can change details or open products under the name.
• Contact the three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) about a deceased flag on the credit file. Each has its own process and requirements, so ask what they need.

Will you owe the person's bank debts?

Generally not. Debts are paid from the estate, and if nothing is left, they usually go unpaid. The FTC and CFPB list the exceptions: you may be responsible if you co-signed or held a joint account, or if you are a surviving spouse in a community property state. If an overdraft or loan is involved, talk to a probate attorney before agreeing to pay anything. Our guide to debt when someone dies covers this in full.

Finding accounts you did not know about

If statements are missing, the account may be dormant or unclaimed.

• Look for interest forms (1099-INT) in the prior year's tax papers.
• Check for safe deposit box keys or rental notices. Banks set their own rules, and state law governs who can open a box after a death, so ask the bank.
• Search state unclaimed property databases through NAUPA's site or MissingMoney.com, which it manages.
• Review email for online-only banks and fintech apps.

A simple notice you can adapt

Many banks have a form or portal. If you need to write, keep it short and send it by a trackable method.

[Date]
[Bank name], Estate / Bereavement Department
[Address]

Re: Death of [full name], account(s) [numbers or "all accounts"]

[Full name] died on [date]. I am the [executor / administrator /
next of kin]. Please note the account(s) as deceased, stop
automatic payments if you are able, and tell me what documents
you need to release information or close the account.

Please also send a statement showing each balance on the date
of death, including accrued interest.

A certified copy of the death certificate is enclosed.

[Name, address, phone, email]

For other institutions, see our notification templates.

What to do next

1. Order death certificates and gather proof of your authority.
2. Call each bank's estate team and ask for their document list and date-of-death balances.
3. Notify the credit card issuers, using our guide to credit card notification, and tell the government agencies.
4. Keep a log of every call and document in one place.