How Do I Open an Estate Account at America First?
America First opens estate accounts for a court-appointed executor or administrator. The documents it asks for, what the account costs, and the steps it lists are below.
Opening an estate account at America First
Account type: Classic Checking
Where to open it
Not published by America First
Who can open it
- Membership
- Required
Documents to bring
- Will, court order, or trust instrument establishing the fiduciary relationship
- Valid Tax Identification Number (TIN) for the account owner
- Signed Membership Application
- Government-issued photo ID for the fiduciary
- $1.00 minimum membership share deposit
What it costs
- Opening deposit
- $1.00 membership share; Classic Checking itself shows no minimum opening balance
- Monthly fee
- $0 (Classic Checking)
- Fee waived at
- Not applicable; Classic Checking carries no monthly fee
- Schedule that applies
- America First Rate & Fee Schedule, effective September 16, 2026
- For estate accounts
- The Rate & Fee Schedule describes Classic Checking as "For individual members, trusts, representative payee, conservatorship, guardian and estate accounts. A checking account with no monthly fee."
- Other charges
- Dormant Account $30; Inactive Account $2
| Account | To open | Monthly fee |
|---|---|---|
| Classic Checking | $0 | |
| Share Savings | $1 |
What to know at America First
America First opens the estate account as a fiduciary account in which the estate is the sole owner and the fiduciary, who has no ownership interest, is the only party authorized to transact. The fiduciary's authority lasts until a court order, termination of the estate, or written notice of revocation reaches the credit union. America First Trust Advisors offers estate settlement and deceased member account counseling.
Not in America First's published guidance
- Whether a branch appointment is needed
- Whether every co-executor must sign or appear
- Whether the estate's EIN is needed before opening
- Whether the deceased must have banked there
- Whether an out-of-state executor can open one
- Whether the death certificate must be a certified copy
- What proof of the EIN it accepts
- Whether the account comes with online banking, checks, a debit card, or mobile deposit
- How the deceased's balances reach the estate account
General information about each bank's published estate-account requirements, not legal or banking advice. Requirements vary by state and account type. Consult the institution for its current requirements. Data verified Sep 16, 2026
America First's published guidance does not state whether an estate account can be opened online.
America First asks for: Will, court order, or trust instrument establishing the fiduciary relationship; Valid Tax Identification Number (TIN) for the account owner; Signed Membership Application; Government-issued photo ID for the fiduciary; $1.00 minimum membership share deposit.
Opening deposit: $1.00 membership share; Classic Checking itself shows no minimum opening balance. Monthly fee: $0 (Classic Checking). The Rate & Fee Schedule describes Classic Checking as "For individual members, trusts, representative payee, conservatorship, guardian and estate accounts. A checking account with no monthly fee.". America First's 2 published accounts are listed above with their fees and waivers; the estate account carries the fees of the account it is opened as.
An estate account is a bank account titled to the estate itself — not to the person who died and not to the executor personally. The court-appointed executor or administrator opens it to deposit money owed to the estate (final paychecks, refunds, proceeds from closed accounts), pay the estate's debts and expenses, and distribute what remains. Checks made out to "the Estate of" can only be deposited into an account titled this way.
The estate is its own taxpayer, separate from the person who died. Banks open estate accounts under the estate's Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS, not the deceased's Social Security Number. The free EIN application prepares IRS Form SS-4 for the estate.
Sources
Data sourced from America First primary sources (4 pages reviewed). How we research.
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Forms for Settling an Estate
Free forms for settling an estate: the probate petition, small estate affidavit, notice to creditors, inventory, and closing forms.
Petition for Probate and Letters
Open probate and ask the court to appoint you and issue Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
Notice to Creditors
Notify estate creditors and start the claim period — the published notice plus mailed copies for known creditors.
Renunciation of Executor
Decline an appointment as executor named in a will — the writing filed with the court before anyone is appointed.
Affidavit of Heirship
Prepare the sworn statement of a deceased person's family history and heirs for recording in the county land records, with your state's recording instructions.
Small Estate Affidavit
Collect a small estate's property without probate — the sworn affidavit presented to banks and other holders, with a presentation letter for each.
Estate Inventory
Prepare the probate inventory of estate property — every asset at its date-of-death value, composed to your state's statute, with the state's filing or delivery instructions.
Tools for Settling an Estate
Free tools for settling an estate: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines, and inheritance taxes.
How Much Can an Executor Charge?
Calculate how much an executor can charge for administering an estate.
Can I Self-File Probate?
Whether your state lets you open probate yourself, and what it costs with a lawyer and without one.
How Do I Get Appointed as Executor?
See the court, petition, bond, and documents needed to be appointed and receive your Letters.
What Are the Creditor Claim Deadlines?
Find creditor claim deadlines, notice requirements, and payment priority order for your state.
What Happens When an Estate Is Insolvent?
See the order your state pays an insolvent estate's debts and which claims go unpaid.
What Is the Estate's Personal Property Worth for Probate?
Estimate the fair market value of household items for probate and see how it affects fees.
