How to close a bank account after someone dies

When someone dies, their bank accounts don't all follow the same rules. What happens to the money, and who can get to it, depends on how each account was set up. Here is how to work it out.

Tell the bank, but don't rush to close the account

Let the bank know about the death so it can flag the account. But keep it open for now. Automatic payments and deposits may still need sorting out, and if the person received Social Security, a payment for the month of death may need to be returned.

Find out what kind of account it is

Ask the bank, or check the account agreement. There are four common setups:

• Joint account with right of survivorship. The money passes to the surviving owner. The survivor usually just needs to show a death certificate to have the name taken off.
• Payable-on-death (POD) account. The money goes to the named beneficiary, outside the will. The beneficiary usually brings a death certificate and their own ID.
• Account in the person's name only, with no beneficiary. The money becomes part of the estate. Only the executor, or someone with court authority, can get to it.
• Account held in a trust. The trustee handles it under the trust's terms.

What the bank will usually ask for

• A certified copy of the death certificate
• Your own photo ID
• If you are the executor: the court document giving you authority, often called letters testamentary
• For a small estate that isn't going through probate: some states let heirs use a small estate affidavit instead. The limits and rules vary by state.

Where the money goes

If you are the executor, the money from an account in the person's name only usually goes into an estate account, not your personal account. Keeping the estate's money separate keeps the accounting clean. See what an executor does.

List the automatic payments first

Before the account closes, write down every automatic payment and deposit on it. Some need canceling, some need moving to another account, and some, like a pension or Social Security deposit, may need to be reported or returned.

Ask about a safe deposit box

If there is a box, the bank will have its own rules for who can open it and when. Ask before you assume.

Write down every account, the date you contacted the bank, and the name of the person you spoke to.

Common questions

How do you close a bank account when someone dies?

Call or visit the bank and ask for the team that handles accounts of people who have died. Bring a certified death certificate and your photo ID, plus the court document or small estate affidavit if the account was in the person's name only. The bank will tell you its own steps.

What do you need to close a deceased person's bank account?

A certified copy of the death certificate, your own ID, and proof of your right to the money: your name on the account as a joint owner or payable-on-death beneficiary, letters testamentary if you are the executor, or a small estate affidavit where your state allows one.

Can I close my deceased parent's bank account?

Only if you are a joint owner, the named payable-on-death beneficiary, the executor or administrator of the estate, or entitled under your state's small estate process. Being their child is usually not enough on its own.

Does the bank freeze the account when someone dies?

Once the bank is told, an account in the person's name only is usually frozen until someone with legal authority comes forward. A joint account generally stays open for the surviving owner.

Can family keep using the debit card or online banking?

No. Even if you know the PIN or password, don't use the person's card or log in as them after the death. Bills are paid by the executor, from the estate's account.

What happens to a Social Security payment after the death?

A payment received for the month the person died generally has to be returned. Don't spend it. The bank may send it back to Social Security on its own.