How Do I Open an Estate Account at Arvest?
Arvest's estate-account opening requirements: where the account can be opened, the documents to bring, and the EIN requirement.
Opening an estate account at Arvest
Account type: estate account
Opening channels
- In a branch
- Not stated
- Online
- Not stated
- By phone
- Not stated
- By mail
- Not stated
- Appointment
- Not stated
- Co-executors
- Not stated
Documents to bring
- Copy of the death certificate -- the checklist instructs survivors to request copies from the county clerk or funeral home and provide a copy to the bank; each financial account needs a copy
- Letters of Testamentary or Letters of Administration
- Employer Identification Number (EIN) for the estate -- Arvest states an EIN is required for the Estate Account type
Steps at Arvest
- 1Request copies of the death certificate from the county clerk or funeral home and provide a copy to the bank (each financial account needs a copy)
- 2Provide Letters of Testamentary or Letters of Administration to Arvest
- 3Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) for the estate -- Arvest requires an EIN for the Estate Account type
- 4Contact Arvest customer service at (866) 952-9523 or visit a local branch to open the estate account
What to know at Arvest
Arvest's "Death of a Loved One" checklist (titled "Navigating Loss & PODs", dated April 2025, linked from the Documents & Resources page as "Navigating Loss & Payable on Death (POD)") confirms Arvest opens Estate Accounts and requires an EIN for the account type. Arvest publishes no dedicated estate-account page: opening channels, appointment requirements, co-fiduciary signature rules, a Letters recency window, minimum deposit, and opening time are all unstated. The same checklist states Arvest cannot release a decedent's funds without a Small Estate Claim Affidavit or Letters of Testamentary or Administration, and that government benefits paid after the date of death must be returned before funds are released.
This guide summarizes each bank's published estate-account requirements and is not legal or banking advice. Requirements may vary by state and account type.
Frequently Asked Questions
Arvest's published guidance does not state whether an estate account can be opened online.
Arvest asks for: Copy of the death certificate -- the checklist instructs survivors to request copies from the county clerk or funeral home and provide a copy to the bank; each financial account needs a copy; Letters of Testamentary or Letters of Administration; Employer Identification Number (EIN) for the estate -- Arvest states an EIN is required for the Estate Account type.
Yes. Arvest opens the account under the estate's Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS — the deceased's Social Security Number cannot be used. Getting the EIN is the first step.
Arvest's published guidance does not state a co-executor appearance rule. When more than one executor or administrator was appointed, confirm with Arvest whether all must attend.
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 Arvest primary sources (2 pages reviewed). How we research.
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