How Do I Open an Estate Account at Banc of California?
Banc of California 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 Banc of California
Where to open it
Not published by Banc of California
Documents to bring
- Government-issued identification, name, address, and date of birth
- Court order appointing the executor or administrator
Steps at Banc of California
- 1Call the Client Care Center at 877-770-2262 or contact a fiduciary Relationship Manager through the Professional Fiduciary Banking page.
- 2Provide government-issued identification and the identifying information required at account opening.
- 3Provide the court order appointing you and any other documents the bank requests to establish your authority over the estate account.
What it costs
Banc of California does not state the opening deposit, monthly fee, or fee-waiver balance for an estate account.
- Schedule that applies
- Not stated for estate accounts; Schedule of Fees: Consumers (Revised 9.1.26) is the only published deposit fee schedule
- For estate accounts
- Deposit Account Agreement: "Whether we treat a trust or fiduciary account as a consumer account depends on the nature and use of the account."
- Other charges
- Early account closure fee $15.00 if closed within 90 days of opening
| Account | To open | Monthly fee | Waiver or condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value Personal Checking | $100 | $6 per month | $1,500 average daily balance |
| Value Interest Checking | $100 | $15 per month | $10,000 average daily balance |
| Banc-On Account | $25 | No monthly service fee | |
| Small Business Checking | $100 | $9 | $1,500 average daily balance |
| Business Checking | $100 | $15 | $10,000 |
| Business Interest Checking | $100 | $15 | $5,000 |
| Analyzed Business Checking | $100 | $0 | |
| Business Money Market | $100 | $11.00 per month | $7,500 average daily balance |
| business CD | $1,000 |
What to know at Banc of California
Banc of California offers estate accounts and court-mandated blocked accounts through its Professional Fiduciary Banking program for professional fiduciaries, probate attorneys and their clients, entered through a Relationship Manager. The bank does not have to permit withdrawals until it receives every document it requests to confirm authority, and the executor signs an indemnity in an individual capacity, jointly and severally.
Not in Banc of California'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 17, 2026
Banc of California's published guidance does not state whether an estate account can be opened online.
Banc of California asks for: Government-issued identification, name, address, and date of birth; Court order appointing the executor or administrator.
Banc of California does not state the opening deposit, monthly fee, or fee-waiver balance for an estate account. Deposit Account Agreement: "Whether we treat a trust or fiduciary account as a consumer account depends on the nature and use of the account.". Banc of California's 9 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 Banc of California primary sources (10 pages reviewed). How we research.
Is this your situation?
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
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.
