How Do I Open an Estate Account at Bangor Savings?
Bangor Savings's estate-account opening requirements: where the account can be opened, the documents to bring, and the EIN requirement.
Opening an estate account at Bangor Savings
Account type: Estate Checking, Estate Money Market Account
Opening channels
- In a branch
- Available
- Online
- Not available
- By phone
- Not stated
- By mail
- Not stated
- Appointment
- Not required
- Co-executors
- Not stated
- Minimum deposit
- $25
Documents to bring
- Certification of the account's taxpayer identification number (for an estate account, the estate's EIN) under penalty of perjury -- the deposit account agreement states the bank is not required to open, and may close, an account if the TIN is not provided and certified
- Fiduciary capacity (personal representative) designated on the account signature card/form, per the deposit account agreement's Agency and Fiduciary Accounts clause
What to know at Bangor Savings
Bangor Savings Bank offers dedicated estate deposit products: the deposit account agreement (Important Information About Your Account, Revised 07/01/2026) lists ESTATE CHECKING and ESTATE MONEY MARKET ACCOUNT as named interest-earning, tiered-rate products, each with a $25.00 minimum opening deposit, and names "estate accounts" among "representative" account registrations (which are excluded from the No Return Benefit overdraft service). Estate accounts are NOT among the account types that can be opened through the bank's online account opening service -- the Open an Account page enumerates only Benefit Plus Checking, Benefit Checking, Benefit Promise Checking, Maine ABLE Benefit Checking, Benefit Money Market, Benefit Savings, and Statement Savings, and directs all other account types to the support line (1-877-226-4671) or a branch ("stop into or schedule an appointment"), so walk-in opening is permitted and no appointment is required. Whether an estate account can be completed entirely by phone or by mail is not stated -- the support line is presented as a contact route, not a documented remote-opening channel. The bank publishes NO estate-account opening procedure, document checklist, Letters recency window, or estimated opening time: nothing on bangor.com states what court papers (Letters Testamentary/of Administration) or death documentation the branch will ask for, so requiredDocs above lists only what the deposit account agreement itself establishes. Per that agreement, a personal representative acting on an account must be designated on the signature card/form, and unless the bank is given a complete copy of the court order or other document under which the account is opened, it is authorized to follow the fiduciary's instructions without determining whether they conflict with that document.
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
No. Bangor Savings states an estate account cannot be opened online. Opening is done in person at a branch.
Bangor Savings asks for: Certification of the account's taxpayer identification number (for an estate account, the estate's EIN) under penalty of perjury -- the deposit account agreement states the bank is not required to open, and may close, an account if the TIN is not provided and certified; Fiduciary capacity (personal representative) designated on the account signature card/form, per the deposit account agreement's Agency and Fiduciary Accounts clause.
Yes. Bangor Savings 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.
Bangor Savings's published guidance does not state a co-executor appearance rule. When more than one executor or administrator was appointed, confirm with Bangor Savings 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 Bangor Savings primary sources (2 pages reviewed). How we research.
Is this your situation?
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
More tools for settling this estate
Calculators and checklists for navigating probate and estate administration.
How Much Does Probate Cost?
Estimate attorney fees, executor fees, court costs, and timeline for probating an estate in your state. See if the estate qualifies for simplified probate procedures.
How Much Can an Executor Charge?
Calculate how much an executor (personal representative) can charge for administering an estate. See if your state has statutory fees or uses reasonable compensation.
Who Inherits Without a Will?
Find out who inherits your estate and how much they get if you die without a will. Based on your state's intestate succession laws.
How Much Are Estate & Inheritance Taxes?
Calculate federal estate tax, state estate tax (12 states + DC), and inheritance tax (5 states) for an estate or trust.
How Many Death Certificates Do I Need?
Calculate how many certified death certificates you need based on the assets and accounts you need to close. See state-specific ordering information.
Do I Need Probate?
Answer a few questions to find out if an estate needs full probate, qualifies for simplified probate, or can avoid probate entirely with a small estate affidavit.
