To close a deceased person's bank account, you notify the bank of the death, prove you have legal authority to act for the estate, and direct the bank to transfer the balance to an estate account before the account is closed. The exact paperwork depends on how the account was titled, whether it had a named beneficiary, and the size of the estate. For most families, the account does not close in a single phone call. It closes after the money has a safe place to land.

This guide walks through what the bank will ask for, the order to do things in, and the mistakes that strand a balance for months.

First, figure out how the account was titled

Before you call the bank, find out what kind of account you are dealing with. The titling decides almost everything about how the money moves, and it often means you do not need to "close" the account in the formal sense at all.

• Joint account with right of survivorship. The surviving co-owner usually becomes the sole owner automatically. The bank will remove the deceased person's name once they see a death certificate. The money never enters the estate.
• Payable-on-death (POD) account. The named beneficiary claims the balance directly with a death certificate and ID. This also skips probate. (We cover the details in our guide to payable-on-death accounts.)
• Account in the deceased person's name alone. This is the one that needs an executor or administrator, an estate account, and the steps below. The balance is an estate asset.

If you are not sure which you have, ask the bank directly. A joint or POD account can be settled in days. A solo account is a probate matter.

Notify the bank of the death

Call the bank's bereavement or estate department, not the regular customer line. Most large banks have a dedicated team for this. Tell them the account holder has died and ask what they require to release the funds.

The bank will typically place a hold on the solo account once notified. That hold is normal and protective. It stops new automatic payments and deposits and freezes the balance until someone with authority steps in. Before the freeze takes full effect, make a note of any automatic payments tied to the account (utilities, insurance, subscriptions) so nothing important bounces while you sort out the transfer.

You will usually need to provide a certified death certificate. If you do not have one yet, our guide on how to order death certificates explains how many copies to request and why.

Prove your legal authority

This is the step that trips people up. The bank cannot hand a solo account to whoever calls first. It releases the money to the person the court has authorized, or under a small-estate process if the state allows one.

What that looks like depends on the estate:

If the estate goes through probate. The court issues a document called Letters Testamentary (if there was a will) or Letters of Administration (if there was not). This is your proof to the bank that you can act for the estate. You present the original or a certified copy, along with the death certificate and your own ID. With that in hand, the bank will let you move the balance.

If the estate qualifies as a small estate. Many states let you skip probate for modest estates using a small estate affidavit. If the total estate falls under your state's limit, you may be able to claim a bank balance with a signed affidavit and a death certificate, no court appointment needed. See our breakdown of small estate affidavits and the limits in each state to check whether you qualify.

You will also need the estate's tax ID number (an EIN) to open the account the money moves into. Here is how to get an EIN for an estate; it takes a few minutes online and is free.

Open an estate account before you close anything

Here is the part many families miss: you almost never want the bank to cut you a personal check for the balance. The money belongs to the estate, not to you, and it has to be tracked separately so it can pay the deceased person's debts and then reach the heirs in the right shares.

The clean path is to open an estate bank account first, then have the old account's balance transferred into it. The estate account is held in the name of the estate, uses the estate's EIN, and becomes the single place where money comes in and goes out during settlement. Every bill paid and every dollar distributed runs through it, which is exactly what a court or the heirs will want to see later.

This is also where Sunset comes in. Sunset opens an FDIC-insured estate account for the families it works with, so the balance from a closed account has a safe, organized home from day one. The account is free to families, and Sunset keeps a running record of what came in and went out, which makes the final accounting far less painful.

Pay valid debts, then distribute and close

Once the balance sits in the estate account, the account closing itself is almost an afterthought. The real work is settling the estate in the right order:

1. Take stock of assets and liabilities first. Before any money goes out, know what the estate holds and what it owes. Sunset starts every estate by surfacing both, because you cannot distribute what creditors have first claim to.
2. Pay legitimate debts and final expenses from the estate account, in the priority your state sets.
3. Distribute what remains to the heirs or beneficiaries named in the will or set by state law.
4. Close the estate account once everything has cleared and the estate is settled.

The original bank account in the deceased person's name is usually closed by the bank automatically once its balance hits zero and the transfer is complete. You generally do not need to do anything more than confirm it is closed.

How long does it take?

A joint or POD account can be settled in a few days to a couple of weeks. A solo account that needs probate moves on the court's timeline. Getting Letters Testamentary can take a few weeks to a few months depending on the county, and the bank will not release a solo balance until you have them. Our guide on how long probate takes by state gives realistic ranges.

How Sunset helps

Closing accounts is one slice of settling an estate, and Sunset handles the whole arc. It finds the accounts the deceased person held, including ones the family did not know about. It generates the probate paperwork your county requires. It opens the FDIC-insured estate account the balances flow into. And it manages the transfers to the heirs at the end. More than 10,000 families have used it, and it is free to the families it serves.

Frequently asked questions

Can I close my deceased parent's bank account myself?
Only if you have legal authority. For a solo account, that means Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from the court, or a small estate affidavit if your state allows one and the estate is small enough. A bank will not release a solo balance to a family member without it.

What happens to a bank account when someone dies without a will?
The account still has to be settled. The court appoints an administrator and issues Letters of Administration, which serve the same role as Letters Testamentary. The balance then passes to heirs according to your state's intestacy law.

Do I need a death certificate to close a bank account?
Yes, almost always a certified copy. Order several; banks and other institutions each want their own.

What happens to direct deposits and automatic payments after death?
Notify the senders and billers directly. Social Security, pensions, and benefits often reclaim payments deposited after the date of death, and automatic bill payments may bounce once the account is frozen. Redirect or cancel them instead of relying on the account to keep running.

Can a joint bank account be frozen when one owner dies?
Usually not for the survivor. With right of survivorship, the surviving owner keeps access and the bank simply removes the deceased name. Confirm the titling with your bank, because account types vary.

The bottom line

Closing a deceased person's bank account is less about the closing and more about moving the money safely and legally first. Confirm how the account was titled, notify the bank, prove your authority, and route any solo balance into an estate account before the old one closes. If that sounds like a lot to carry while you are grieving, it is the kind of thing Sunset was built to take off your plate. See how Sunset helps families settle an estate.