How Do I Open an Estate Account at Associated Bank?
Associated Bank opens estate accounts for a court-appointed executor or administrator. The account is opened in a branch. The documents it asks for, what the account costs, and the steps it lists are below.
Opening an estate account at Associated Bank
Account type: Estate Checking
Where to open it
In a branch
How it opens
- In a branch
- Available
- Online
- Not available; 47 of the 153 banks here say the same
Documents to bring
- Court order or other document establishing the personal representative's authority
Steps at Associated Bank
- 1Visit an Associated Bank office or contact an Associated Bank Relationship Manager; the bank opens Estate Checking through either route.
- 2To book a branch appointment, use Schedule an Appointment on the Estate Checking page, or call Business Customer Care at 800-728-3501, Monday through Saturday.
- 3Bring the court order or Letters establishing your authority; the bank may review it and keep a copy on file.
- 4Fund the account with the $100 minimum opening deposit.
What it costs
- Opening deposit
- $100
What to know at Associated Bank
Estate Checking is a business checking account with no monthly maintenance fee, no minimum balance, a free Business Debit Mastercard and 50 included transactions a month, $0.50 per extra item; debit card purchases do not count toward the 50. An account with a positive balance and no transactions for 12 months becomes dormant. Estate Checking is offered in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin.
Not in Associated Bank's published guidance
- Whether it can be opened by phone or by mail
- Whether a branch appointment is needed
- Whether every co-executor must sign or appear
- Whether the estate's EIN is needed before opening
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 10, 2026
No. Associated Bank states an estate account cannot be opened online. It states the account can be opened in a branch.
Associated Bank asks for: Court order or other document establishing the personal representative's authority.
Opening deposit: $100.
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.
Is this your situation?
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
Forms for Settling an Estate
Free forms for settling an estate: probate petition, small estate affidavit, creditor notice and closing forms. Prepare each form for your state.
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 taxes. Run each tool for your state.
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 Letters Testamentary?
See the court that issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration, the petition, the bond, and the documents to file.
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.
How Do I Claim a Deceased Person's Unclaimed Property?
See where to search for a deceased person's unclaimed property and what each state asks an heir or executor to send.
