How Do I Open an Estate Account at American Heritage?
American Heritage 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 American Heritage
Where to open it
Not published by American Heritage
Who can open it
- Membership
- Required
Documents to bring
- Death certificate
- Short Certificate (Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration)
- EIN (Employer Identification Number) for the estate
- Identification for the appointed Executor
- A completed American Heritage account application
Steps at American Heritage
- 1Obtain the Short Certificate and an EIN for the estate; American Heritage lists both as required to establish the account.
- 2Contact the Account Services Department at 215-969-8038 or membership@amhfcu.org.
- 3Provide the death certificate, the Short Certificate, the estate's EIN and identification for the executor.
- 4Complete an American Heritage account application in the name of the estate.
- 5Sign estate-account paperwork in the format American Heritage specifies for a fiduciary: "John Doe, Executor".
- 6To close the estate account later, complete the in-house Member Services Request Form and present valid identification.
What it costs
American Heritage does not state the opening deposit, monthly fee, or fee-waiver balance for an estate account.
- Other waivers
- None published for estate accounts; fiduciary accounts are excluded from the Workplace Partner checking bonus offer
- Schedule that applies
- Not stated for estate accounts; candidates: Schedule of Fees and Charges; Business Account Schedule of Fees and Charges (Effective October 1, 2025)
- For estate accounts
- Promotion only: the Workplace Partner checking bonus offer states "Employees and their family, business and fiduciary accounts are not eligible." Estates are not named
- Other charges
- Inactive Account Fee $10.00 per month after two years; Closed Account Fee $5.00 if closed within 90 days of account opening
| Account | To open | Monthly fee | Waiver or condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Share | $15.00 | ||
| Cash Management Checking | $7,500.00 | $10.00 minimum balance fee | charged when the account falls below $7,500 |
| Platinum Checking | $7,500.00 | $10.00 minimum balance fee | charged when the account falls below $7,500 |
| VIP Checking | $5,000.00 | $10.00 minimum balance fee | charged when the account falls below $5,000 |
| High Yield Savings | $10,000.00 | $10.00 | charged when the daily balance falls below $10,000 |
| Money Market | $2,000.00 | $10.00 each time | charged each time the Standard MMA falls below $2,000 |
| VIP Money Market | $50,000.00 | $10.00 | charged below $50,000 |
| Platinum Money Market | $75,000.00 | $10.00 | charged below $75,000 |
| Identity Protection Checking Account | $3.00 | ||
| Preferred or Protection Checking Account (No New Accounts Permitted) | $5.00 | ||
| Totally Free Checking Plus | None listed |
What to know at American Heritage
To open any account, including an estate account, American Heritage requires the minimum share deposit in a Primary Share account, either already on deposit or made at opening.
Not in American Heritage's published guidance
- Whether a branch appointment is needed
- Whether every co-executor must sign or appear
- 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
- 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 17, 2026
American Heritage's published guidance does not state whether an estate account can be opened online.
American Heritage asks for: Death certificate; Short Certificate (Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration); EIN (Employer Identification Number) for the estate; Identification for the appointed Executor; A completed American Heritage account application.
American Heritage does not state the opening deposit, monthly fee, or fee-waiver balance for an estate account. Promotion only: the Workplace Partner checking bonus offer states "Employees and their family, business and fiduciary accounts are not eligible." Estates are not named. American Heritage's 11 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 American Heritage primary sources (8 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.
