What to do when a Bank of America account holder dies
Contact Bank of America's Estate Servicing Operations — 9-step process, 12 required documents, and allow ten business days for the estate servicing operations team to review submitted documents; overall timeline varies by account type, state requirements, and documentation completeness.
Phone1-800-432-1000
Toll-Free1-800-432-1000
Fax1-866-694-9046
Mailing Address
Bank of America, PO Box 25118, Tampa, FL 33622-5118
Spanish Language
International (collect)
Small Business
Mortgage & Home Equity
Home Equity Line
Estate Servicing Operations
Phone1-888-689-4466
Fax1-866-694-9046
Mailing Address
Bank of America, Estate Servicing Operations, PO Box 31655, Tampa, FL 33631-1655
Merrill Life Services
Merrill General
Private Bank
WebsiteLearn more→
Estate Servicing Operations (ESO)
Phone1-888-689-4466
Fax1-866-694-9046
Mailing Address
Bank of America, Estate Servicing Operations, PO Box 31655, Tampa, FL 33631-1655
Estate Services Online support (enrollment, login, case visibility)
Merrill Life Services
Merrill Life Services Fax
Merrill General
Private Bank
Home Loans (deceased borrower servicing)
Name and Title Change Unit fax (mortgage/HELOC successor in interest)
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026
After a Bank of America account holder dies, accounts with beneficiary designations or trust ownership transfer to the designated recipients without probate. Solely-owned accounts require the estate's representative to contact Bank of America's Estate Servicing Operations at 1-888-689-4466 with the proper legal authority documents.
Bank of America provides an online portal for initiating death claims, which can simplify the initial notification and document submission process. Claims can also be started by phone or by mailing the required documents.
Deposit, investment & retirement accounts
The death claim process at Bank of America works as follows:
Filing a claim
1
Determine your role (executor, trustee, personal representative, or beneficiary)
2
Order certified copies of the death certificate from the funeral director or state vital records office
3
Notify Bank of America online at bankofamerica.com/estateservices, by phone at 1-888-689-4466 (Monday-Friday 9am-8pm ET), or at a local financial center
4
Provide the deceased's full legal name and Social Security number
5
Notify promptly -- under the Deposit Agreement the bank may keep acting on the account as if every owner is alive and competent until it receives notice of the death, so items can keep clearing in the meantime
6
Bank of America will place holds on sole-owned accounts, close debit/ATM and credit cards, cancel automatic transfers and bill payments, suspend Online and Mobile Banking, and assign a case number
7
Check whether a state-specific rule applies: New Jersey requires taxation documents and puts a 50% hold on joint accounts at notification; Texas requires court-filed probate documents with a judge's order for sole-owned accounts; Florida requires probate-court-issued documents except for certain low-dollar balances
8
Submit required documents through one of these methods (uploading online is strongly encouraged to protect personal information):
- Upload through Estate Services Online at bankofamerica.com/estateservices (customers via Online Banking; non-customers via the Third-Party Case Manager)
- Fax to 1-866-694-9046
- Mail to Bank of America, Estate Servicing Operations, PO Box 31655, Tampa, FL 33631-1655
- In person at a financial center
9
Allow ten business days for the Estate Servicing Operations team to review submitted documents; the bank will contact you if anything further is needed. Overall timeline varies by account type, state requirements, and documentation completeness
Required Documents
- Death certificate (a legible photocopy is accepted; send copies only, as originals cannot be returned)
- Government-issued ID for claimant
- Letters Testamentary, Letters of Administration, or Certification of Appointment (if formal probate)
- Small Estate Affidavit executed in compliance with the law of the state where the decedent lived (if the estate qualifies)
- Last will and testament (if applicable)
- Trust documents and Trustee Certification form (if trust is involved)
- Letter of Instruction and Account Closure Request (Bank of America form issued to the entitled parties or beneficiaries of a sole-owned account; completable as an eForm in Estate Services Online)
- Signature Card (for surviving owners of a joint checking or savings account)
- Beneficiary Addendum or New Owner/Signer Application (if account title is being maintained rather than closed)
- Birth or marriage certificate or proof of legal name change (if applicable)
- Affidavit of Domicile (for Merrill/investment accounts)
- For a death outside the U.S.: the local death certificate, an English translation, an apostille if the country is a Hague Convention member, and a Consular Report of Death of a U.S. Citizen Abroad for U.S. citizens -- U.S. court-issued documents are still required to release funds
Claims Contact
What to know at this institution
DEPOSIT AGREEMENT DEATH CLAUSE (Deposit Agreement and Disclosures, effective May 15, 2026, "Death or Incompetence"): you agree to notify the bank promptly when an owner or authorized signer dies, and UNTIL the bank receives that notice it may act on the account as if everyone is alive and competent -- so checks, card transactions, and automatic payments can keep clearing after the date of death. Once notified, the bank may place a hold on the account and refuse deposits and withdrawals until it receives the documents it reasonably requests to verify the death and to verify the authority and identity of the successor, guardian, conservator, executor, or personal representative. POST-DEATH DEPOSITS: if a deposit payable to the deceased owner -- including salary, pension, Social Security, or SSI -- is credited after the date of death, the bank may debit the account for it and return it to the payer, and may recover it from ANY of your accounts at the bank under its right of set off. Federal benefit payments stop automatically on notification and are subject to a reclamation review under the U.S. Treasury Green Book and Gold Book; no funds can be disbursed from the account until that review is complete. Non-government pensions are NOT returned automatically -- the pension company must request the return and get the estate representative's approval. Useful payer contacts from the Estate Services Resource Guide: Social Security Administration 800-772-1213, Defense Finance & Accounting Service 888-332-7411, Department of Veterans Affairs 800-827-1000, Railroad Retirement Board 877-772-5772. POD ACCOUNTS (Deposit Agreement, "Payable on Death" Accounts): a POD beneficiary acquires no interest in the account until the death of the owner or last co-owner and must be alive to take. On death the bank may distribute the balance -- subject to any bank claims and its right of set off -- to all surviving beneficiaries jointly, or individually in equal shares. Whether a POD beneficiary survived the owner is determined by state law. Under "Conflicting Demands and Disputes," the bank is not required to pay a POD or trust beneficiary if it knows of or believes in good faith there is a bona fide dispute, or if it is simply uncertain who is entitled to the funds; it may freeze the funds until the dispute is resolved by written agreement of all parties, by a court, or to the bank's satisfaction. ACCOUNT-TYPE HANDLING (Estate Services Resource Guide): sole-owned accounts are closed and the funds distributed through formal probate or the small estate process; joint accounts WITH right of survivorship stay with the surviving owner(s), with title updated once the bank has the death certificate and an updated signature card; joint accounts WITHOUT survivorship are split between the surviving owner(s) and the estate; POD/TOD/ITF accounts pass to the named beneficiary(ies) after the bank receives the death certificate AND the Letter of Instruction form; sole proprietor accounts are treated like personal accounts. Payout follows the account structure -- probate accounts are paid to "Estate of [name]," and small estate affidavit claims are typically paid to the affiant. STATE-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS (Estate Services Resource Guide): NEW JERSEY -- taxation documents are required for any maintenance on accounts opened in NJ or where the customer was an NJ resident, and a 50% hold is placed on joint-owned accounts at the time of notification; the hold is not lifted until the taxation documents are filed (NJ Division of Taxation 609-292-5033). TEXAS -- for a Texas resident, probate documents for sole-owned accounts must be court-filed and accompanied by a judge's order. FLORIDA -- for a Florida resident, documents presented to collect a sole-owned account must be issued by a probate court, except for certain low-dollar balances. Other states may also require court filing depending on the estate. PROTECTIVE ACTIONS ON NOTIFICATION: temporary balance holds on individually owned accounts, debit and credit cards closed or blocked with Authorized Users removed, automatic payments and recurring transfers canceled, applicable fees suspended. The decedent's Online Banking ID is closed after the bank receives the death certificate, so a surviving joint owner needs their own Online Banking profile. CREDIT CARDS: a sole-owned card is closed and Authorized Users removed; cards held by surviving borrowers remain open. If there is a balance, the bank collects from the decedent's estate, not from the estate representative individually. Rewards eligible for redemption may be redeemed at the request of an authorized representative of the estate, unless there is at least one surviving accountholder. SAFE DEPOSIT BOX: maintenance happens at the financial center that houses the box. A joint renter can remove the decedent's name or close the box; a single-rented box requires documents approving access, and the documents must match the state where the box is physically located, even if the customer lived elsewhere. UTMA/UGMA: a successor custodian must be appointed even if the minor has reached the age of majority; the new custodian brings the documentation and two forms of ID to a financial center. FORMS the bank issues as needed: Letter of Instruction and Account Closure Request (completed by the entitled parties or beneficiaries of a sole-owned account to confirm where and how to disburse funds -- available as an e-signed eForm in Estate Services Online), Signature Card (surviving joint owners), Beneficiary Addendum, and New Owner/Signer Application. Notary services are available at no cost in many financial centers; schedule an appointment and do not pre-sign. MERRILL: contact Merrill Life Services at 1-855-450-9015 (Monday-Friday 8am-8pm ET), fax 917-778-0797, or mail Merrill Document Processing, PO Box 31024, Tampa, FL 33631-3024. A Life Services Transition Specialist reviews the documents and then connects the heir with a Financial Solutions Advisor to open the receiving account. An Affidavit of Domicile is required on every Merrill account type; joint accounts also need a letter authorizing the SSN swap and removal of the deceased holder, IRAs may need a tax waiver and a trustee certification if a trust is the beneficiary, and trust accounts need a Trustee Certification form. PRIVATE BANK: 1-800-878-7878 (Monday-Friday 8am-8pm ET). Wealth management clients can also go directly to their private client advisor.
Mortgage and home lending
Mortgages and home equity loans are liabilities, not assets. They do not have beneficiaries and cannot be retitled to a trust. When a borrower dies, the loan obligation transfers with the property to whoever inherits it. Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Act, the lender cannot accelerate the loan or call it due when the property transfers to a surviving spouse, child, or the borrower’s revocable trust.
1
Report the death FIRST to Bank of America Estate Servicing Operations (ESO) at 1-888-689-4466 -- per the Potential Successor in Interest Package, the deceased notification must be completed before you can request successor-in-interest status
2
Gather required documentation:
- Certified copy of the borrower's death certificate (a legible photocopy or fax is accepted; send copies only -- originals are not returned)
- Court documents identifying the administrator, executor, successor trustee, or heirs
3
If a co-borrower exists, that person remains responsible for repayment and the account stays open in their name
4
Understand the gate: the Home Loans department will not discuss a deceased borrower's loan until an estate representative or potential successor requests IN WRITING to be added as an authorized party
5
Complete the Request Form for Successor in Interest and the notarized Successor in Interest Identity/Relationship Affidavit (one per successor), then send both with supporting documents to the Name and Title Change Unit (NTCU):
- Fax to the NTCU at 1-866-200-5596
- Or mail to Name and Title Change Unit, PO Box 31595, Tampa, FL 33631-3595
- Include the full loan account number on every page
- Successor in Interest requests: include documentation of your ownership interest in the property
- Executor / administrator / successor trustee requests: include the court order or other official document confirming your appointment
6
Bank of America completes the request within ten business days of receiving your information; if more documentation is needed, it sends a notice three business days after receiving the request
7
Once confirmed as a successor in interest, choose from available options:
- Continue making payments on the existing loan (no assumption required)
- Apply to assume the loan, becoming legally responsible for the repayment terms
- Request a loan modification
- Refinance in your own name
- Pay off the loan
8
Keep making the monthly payment throughout the review -- the loan can still go delinquent while your status is being confirmed
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificate (legible photocopy or fax accepted; do not send originals)
- Government-issued photo ID for the claimant
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if a court-appointed representative exists)
- Small Estate Affidavit or similar judicial determination establishing heir status (if no court-appointed representative)
- Request Form for Successor in Interest (from the Potential Successor in Interest Package)
- Successor in Interest Identity/Relationship Affidavit -- must be notarized; one form per successor
- Deed to the property or other documentation of your ownership interest (the county recorder for the property can supply a copy of the executed deed)
- Trust documents and Trustee Certification form (if property held in trust)
What to know at this institution
Under the federal Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act of 1982 (12 U.S.C. 1701j-3), Bank of America cannot enforce a due-on-sale clause when the property transfers to a surviving spouse, child, or relative of the deceased borrower, or to the borrower's revocable living trust. Heirs who inherit the property are not required to assume the loan to keep making payments; assuming it means becoming legally responsible for the repayment terms. Successor-in-interest status is generally granted if the successor was on title before the borrower's death or inherited the property through probate; if they were not on title, legal documentation identifying them as administrator, executor, or heir is required. Sequence matters: report the death to Estate Servicing Operations at 1-888-689-4466 first, then file with the Name and Title Change Unit -- fax 1-866-200-5596 or mail Name and Title Change Unit, PO Box 31595, Tampa, FL 33631-3595 (overnight/physical: Mail Stop FL1-908-01-49, 4909 Savarese Circle, Tampa, FL 33634). The NTCU address and fax are SEPARATE from the Estate Servicing Operations address and fax used for deposit accounts. General home loan servicing questions: 1-800-669-6607, Monday-Friday 8am-9pm ET.
Prepare your letter of instruction to Bank of America
Bank of America asks for a letter of instruction alongside its claim form. We prepare a transmittal cover letter and the enclosure checklist Bank of America requires.
Build your letter of instructionProcessing timelines at Bank of America: Allow ten business days for the Estate Servicing Operations team to review submitted documents; overall timeline varies by account type, state requirements, and documentation completeness. Incomplete documentation is the most common cause of delays—submitting all required documents with the initial claim helps avoid additional processing time.
Bank of America requires several documents to process a claim, including Death certificate (a legible photocopy is accepted; send copies only, as originals cannot be returned), Government-issued ID for claimant, and Letters Testamentary, Letters of Administration, or Certification of Appointment (if formal probate), and additional documentation depending on the account type. Certified copies are typically needed—photocopies are generally not accepted for death certificates or court documents.
Frequently asked questions
POD beneficiaries can be added to checking, savings, CD, investment, and IRA accounts. Only individual or co-owned personal accounts and sole proprietor small business accounts qualify. Joint business accounts are not eligible. Account owners and co-owners cannot be named as POD beneficiaries. If an account is overdrawn when the owner passes away, the POD beneficiary will not receive any funds and is not liable for the deficit. Under the Deposit Agreement, a POD beneficiary acquires no interest in the account until the owner or last co-owner dies and must be alive to take; the bank may pay all surviving beneficiaries jointly or individually in equal shares, and whether a beneficiary survived the owner is a question of state law. Deposit-account POD beneficiaries are managed through the Your Beneficiary self-service pages online, but a bank IRA is the exception: an IRA beneficiary change requires the IRA Beneficiary Change form and a visit to a financial center, and cannot be done through online self-service. Merrill IRA beneficiaries can be managed online or with the Retirement Beneficiary Designation form.
Trust accounts for deposit products (checking, savings, CDs) must be opened in person at a Bank of America financial center -- they cannot be opened online. Bring the complete trust document or a Certificate of Trust, government-issued photo ID for each trustee, and the trust tax identification number (a revocable trust generally uses the grantor's SSN rather than its own EIN). A banker completes the trust account application and signature card. For Merrill Edge investment trust accounts, use the CMA Trust Application at merrilledge.com/forms-library or call Merrill at 1-866-848-6554. On the naming side: POD (Payable on Death) applies to the deposit accounts and is managed through the Your Beneficiary self-service pages online or at a financial center, while TOD (Transfer on Death) applies to Merrill investment accounts and is set up with the Transfer on Death Agreement form. Trust accounts, custodial accounts (UTMA/UGMA), and IRAs are not eligible for a TOD Agreement.
Bank of America runs a dedicated Estate Servicing Operations (ESO) unit. Notify it online at bankofamerica.com/estateservices, by phone at 1-888-689-4466 (Monday-Friday 9am-8pm ET), by fax to 1-866-694-9046, by mail to Bank of America, Estate Servicing Operations, PO Box 31655, Tampa, FL 33631-1655, or at a financial center; the bank strongly encourages uploading documents online. Existing customers see their case in Online Banking under Help & Support; non-customers enroll in the Third-Party Case Manager at bankofamerica.com/estateservices (call 1-888-689-4464 if a case does not appear). Estate Services Online works only in a web browser, not the Mobile Banking app, and it lets you e-sign the Letter of Instruction and Account Closure Request rather than mail it. Have the deceased's full legal name and Social Security number ready, send photocopies only (originals are not returned), and allow ten business days for review. Notify promptly: under the Deposit Agreement the bank may keep acting on the account as if the owner is alive until it receives notice of death.
Yes. Per the Estate Services Resource Guide, three states add steps. In NEW JERSEY, taxation documents are required for any maintenance on an account opened in New Jersey or held by a New Jersey resident, and the bank places a 50% hold on joint-owned accounts at the time of notification -- that hold is not lifted until the taxation documents are filed (New Jersey Division of Taxation, 609-292-5033). In TEXAS, probate documents for a resident's sole-owned account must be court-filed and accompanied by a judge's order. In FLORIDA, documents presented to collect a resident's sole-owned account must be issued by a probate court, except for certain low-dollar balances. If the death occurred outside the United States, the bank needs the local death certificate, an English translation, an apostille if the country is a Hague Convention member, and a Consular Report of Death for U.S. citizens -- but U.S. court-issued documents are still required to release funds.
Report the death to Estate Servicing Operations at 1-888-689-4466 first -- the deceased notification has to be completed before you can ask to become a Successor in Interest. Home Loans will not discuss a deceased borrower's loan until an estate representative or potential successor requests in writing to be added as an authorized party. Then send the Request Form for Successor in Interest and the notarized Successor in Interest Identity/Relationship Affidavit to the Name and Title Change Unit: fax 1-866-200-5596 or mail Name and Title Change Unit, PO Box 31595, Tampa, FL 33631-3595. That fax and PO Box are different from the deposit-side Estate Servicing addresses, so successor paperwork sent to PO Box 31655 will be delayed. The unit completes the request within ten business days of receiving your documents. Under the Garn-St. Germain Act you do not have to assume the loan to keep making payments; assuming it means becoming legally responsible for the repayment terms. General home loan servicing: 1-800-669-6607.
Bank of America's Estate Servicing Operations (ESO) can be reached by phone at 1-888-689-4466 and fax at 1-866-694-9046 for questions throughout the claims process.
Multiple Bank of America accounts may mean multiple claims. Some account types can be processed together, but others require their own documentation. Check with the Estate Servicing Operations to confirm what applies.
Sources
Data sourced from Bank of America primary sources (25 pages reviewed). How we research.
Phone1-800-432-1000
Toll-Free1-800-432-1000
Fax1-866-694-9046
Mailing Address
Bank of America, PO Box 25118, Tampa, FL 33622-5118
Spanish Language
International (collect)
Small Business
Mortgage & Home Equity
Home Equity Line
Estate Servicing Operations
Phone1-888-689-4466
Fax1-866-694-9046
Mailing Address
Bank of America, Estate Servicing Operations, PO Box 31655, Tampa, FL 33631-1655
Merrill Life Services
Merrill General
Private Bank
WebsiteLearn more→
Estate Servicing Operations (ESO)
Phone1-888-689-4466
Fax1-866-694-9046
Mailing Address
Bank of America, Estate Servicing Operations, PO Box 31655, Tampa, FL 33631-1655
Estate Services Online support (enrollment, login, case visibility)
Merrill Life Services
Merrill Life Services Fax
Merrill General
Private Bank
Home Loans (deceased borrower servicing)
Name and Title Change Unit fax (mortgage/HELOC successor in interest)
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026
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