How Do I Open an Estate Account at Banc of California?
Banc of California's estate-account opening requirements: where the account can be opened, the documents to bring, and the EIN requirement.
Opening an estate account at Banc of California
Account type: estate and client accounts (fiduciary deposit accounts)
Opening channels
- In a branch
- Not stated
- Online
- Available
- By phone
- Not stated
- By mail
- Not stated
- Appointment
- Not stated
- Co-executors
- Not stated
Documents to bring
- Government-issued identification and customer identification information (name, address, date of birth) required at account opening per Section 1.c (Identification) of the Deposit Account Agreement
- Documentation of the court appointment: Section 50.k (Fiduciary Account) provides that fiduciary accounts may be opened by persons named as executors, administrators, or conservators under court orders (Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration)
- Any additional documents the bank reasonably requests to establish authority to open and use the account, per Section 67 (Trust and Other Fiduciary Accounts) — the bank may withhold withdrawals until all requested documents are received
Steps at Banc of California
- 1Call the Client Care Center at 877-770-2262 or connect with a fiduciary Relationship Manager through the [Professional Fiduciary Banking page](https://bancofcal.com/industries/fiduciaries/)
- 2Provide government-issued identification and customer identification information required at account opening
- 3Provide the court-appointment documentation (Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration) and any other documents the bank requests to establish authority over the estate account
- 4Complete account opening; the fiduciary banking program offers fully digital account opening, including support for out-of-state clients
What to know at Banc of California
Banc of California opens estate accounts: the Deposit Account Agreement and Disclosure (effective January 1, 2026) expressly contemplates accounts opened by executors and administrators under court orders (Section 50.k) and estate accounts (Section 67), and the bank markets "estate and client accounts" through its Professional Fiduciary Banking program. That program — which documents fully digital account opening, master signature cards for new case appointments, view-only access for attorneys and co-fiduciaries, and expanded FDIC coverage through IntraFi Cash Service (ICS) for estate balances above standard FDIC limits — is aimed at professional fiduciaries and trust/probate attorneys and is initiated through a Relationship Manager; the bank publishes no consumer-facing estate-account opening page for individual family executors, so phone, mail, and in-branch opening availability, appointment requirements, co-fiduciary signature requirements, EIN timing, and minimum deposits are not stated in its primary sources. Under Section 67, the bank reserves the right to require any documents it reasonably requests to confirm authority and does not have to permit withdrawals until all requested documents are received.
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
Yes. Banc of California's published guidance states an estate account can be opened online.
Banc of California asks for: Government-issued identification and customer identification information (name, address, date of birth) required at account opening per Section 1.c (Identification) of the Deposit Account Agreement; Documentation of the court appointment: Section 50.k (Fiduciary Account) provides that fiduciary accounts may be opened by persons named as executors, administrators, or conservators under court orders (Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration); Any additional documents the bank reasonably requests to establish authority to open and use the account, per Section 67 (Trust and Other Fiduciary Accounts) — the bank may withhold withdrawals until all requested documents are received.
Banc of California's published guidance does not state a co-executor appearance rule. When more than one executor or administrator was appointed, confirm with Banc of California 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 Banc of California primary sources (3 pages reviewed). How we research.
