Accouncement
Sunset now finds the bank accounts of small businesses owned by the deceased, so families don't have to call banks one by one.
May 28, 2026
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When a small business owner passes away, their personal accounts are only half the picture. Operating accounts, payroll accounts, and merchant accounts sit at banks under the business name, and families have no straightforward way to find them. Today we are announcing that Sunset can now locate the bank accounts of small businesses owned by the deceased.
This feature builds on our Business Search Tool, which already helps families identify LLCs, corporations, and other entities tied to a loved one. Now, once a business is found, Sunset goes a step further and searches for the bank accounts held in that business's name.
Why this matters
Surviving spouses, executors, and family members often inherit responsibility for a business they had no role in running. Winding it down, transferring ownership, or settling its obligations requires knowing where the money lives. Until now, that meant calling banks one by one and hoping for a hit. Sunset does the searching for you.
Who this helps
The surviving spouse. Her husband ran a small plumbing business for thirty years. She helped with the books on weekends but never handled the bank side. Now she wants to keep the business open for the three employees who built it with him. The first thing she needs is every account held in the company's name.
The adult child. His mother owned a corner print shop. After she passed, he and his sister decided to wind it down, but vendor invoices kept arriving and the part-time employee was still owed two weeks of pay. He needed the operating account before he could close anything out.
The sibling. Her brother ran a one-person graphic design studio. He had no spouse, no children, and she was named executor. Closing the LLC meant finding the bank account, paying final taxes, and getting the last client refunds out the door.
What's covered
Sunset searches across 2,500+ financial institutions for accounts held in the name of the deceased's businesses. Results include the institution, account type, and the information needed to begin closure or transfer. Sole proprietorships, LLCs, S-corps, and partnerships are all supported.
Get started
The feature is live in the Sunset platform for any family with a small business in their estate. If you are already using Sunset, business bank account search runs automatically alongside the rest of our asset discovery. If you are new, you can begin at hellosunset.com.
We built Sunset to take the weight of estate settlement off families. A small business should not be the thing that catches them off guard.
HOW WE MAKE MONEY
We’re paid by banks, not families
Just like any bank, we make money from interest yielded while money sits in the estate bank account.
No out-of-pocket costs or fees
You never pay for anything out of pocket. Ever.
We make money on interest
No hidden costs. No surprise fees. No fine print.
You keep all your money
We never take a cut of your inheritance.
Frequently asked questions
How quickly will I see results?
Most results come fast. Here's the general timeline after your account is validated:
- Within hours: Creditors and debts, some bank accounts, property records (all 50 states), vehicle titles, and unclaimed property
- 10-12 days: Retirement accounts (401k, IRA, pension), investment accounts (brokerage, stocks, crypto), life insurance, and business ownership.
- 10–14 days: Comprehensive bank account search with confirmed balances across all account types
Most families have 100% of assets discovered within two weeks.
Who can use Sunset?
Any family member, executor, administrator or personal representative responsible for managing a deceased person’s assets can use our software tool. We support asset search and probate in all 50 states and every county in the U.S.
Am I responsible for their debts?
No, the deceased was solely responsible for their debts. If a loan was backed by a physical asset, such as a home or vehicle, you have options to transfer or payoff from estate proceeds.
For a loan that was jointly held, the responsibility remains with the other person on the account, often a spouse. Sunset automatically identifies if a debt has a living responsible party, and clearly flags it.
What is an estate bank account? Who controls it?
An estate bank account is a standard bank account in the estate’s name where all funds are consolidated. You can use it to pay expenses, view a full transaction history, and eventually distribute inheritance to beneficiaries.
With one click Sunset can set up an estate bank account.
You control the estate bank account. You can pay bills, taxes, and distribute the funds to heirs.
All estate bank accounts set up by Sunset are FDIC insured and protected from fraud and identity theft.
How can I pay estate expenses?
With your estate bank account you can use to pay expenses to settle your loved ones affairs. You can also reimburse yourself for expenses you may have paid out of pocket before the bank account was set up.
This includes paying for funeral expenses, accountants and attorneys if needed (most families do not need these services when working with us), realtor fees when selling property, money going towards settling debts, money spent fixing up a property before selling it, etc.
What security measures does Sunset have?
Sunset is SOC 2 Type II certified, and we hold ourselves to the highest standards in how we build our software and store data so that you’re always protected. We have in-depth fraud and identity verification measures on the deceased and the beneficiaries, and we run background checks on all employees.
What about probate documents?
You can use our software to generate and sometimes file probate documents in every county nationwide.
Online notarization is also available through Sunset.
If your case is unusually complex, or disputed, we recommend hiring experienced probate counsel.
Can Sunset help my probate attorney?
Yes. Attorneys regularly recommend Sunset to their clients. Before your attorney can guide you on the right probate path, they need a complete picture of the estate's assets and debts. Sunset generates a comprehensive Estate Asset Inventory with account numbers, balances, and more, giving your attorney exactly what they need to move forward quickly.
Will financial institution be notified of a Sunset search?
No, we do not notify any financial institutions of the death when performing our searches, except for in the case of life insurance.
Our process combines document review, data integrations, and indirect verification with financial institutions. Families usually discover most accounts within 1 day, although some bank account confirmations take up to two weeks.
Financial institutions are only notified after a request for closure and transfer has been made by you.
How much does Sunset cost?
Sunset Free is free for families settling an estate. Sunset Pro, our paid product for probate attorneys, licensed fiduciaries, trustees, and aftercare specialists, starts at $500 per asset search, with monthly subscription plans available for Solo Practitioners, Small Firms, and Large Firms.
For families, Sunset never charges a fee or takes a percentage of the estate. All family-facing tools are free, including search and discovery, probate document generation, account closure, asset transfer, and estate bank account setup. No upfront fees. No subscriptions. No deductions from the inheritance.
Our revenue from the family side comes from bank partners. They pay us a referral fee when assets transfer to receiving institutions, and we share in the interest while funds sit in the estate bank account. Sunset Pro subscriptions from professionals are how we sustain the rest of the product. All of the deceased's assets go to the beneficiaries and heirs.
