How Do I Open an Estate Account at Bank of America?
Bank of America's estate-account opening requirements: where the account can be opened, the documents to bring, and the EIN requirement.
Opening an estate account at Bank of America
Opening channels
- In a branch
- Available
- Online
- Not stated
- By phone
- Not stated
- By mail
- Not stated
- Appointment
- Required
- Co-executors
- Not stated
Documents to bring
- Court-issued probate document establishing the appointment (Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration)
- EIN for the estate (Employer Identification Number issued by the IRS)
Steps at Bank of America
- 1Obtain the court-issued probate document establishing your appointment and the estate's EIN from the IRS
- 2Schedule an appointment at a [Bank of America financial center](https://www.bankofamerica.com/appointment/)
- 3Bring the probate document and the EIN to the appointment -- an associate establishes the account
What to know at Bank of America
The estate-services page answers "How do I open an estate account?" with a single channel -- a financial-center appointment -- and two requirements: the probate document and the EIN. No Bank of America source states whether an estate account can or cannot be opened online, by phone, or by mail, and none states a co-fiduciary appearance rule, a Letters recency window, a minimum deposit, or the deposit account types offered to estates. The Deposit Agreement and Disclosures (effective May 15, 2026, "Business Accounts and Other Accounts for Non-Personal Use") classifies an estate account as a fiduciary account; each person signing the signature card or completing other account opening requirements represents that they are fully authorized to act in their stated capacity, have furnished the documents demonstrating that authority, and will furnish other documents on request, and the bank may refuse to recognize any resolution or other legal document affecting the account that is not on its form or that appears incomplete or improperly executed. Context for why the account is needed: per the same estate-services page, when probate documents are presented the payout checks from the decedent's accounts are made payable to the "Estate of" the deceased customer, and per the estate packet FAQ (BA2959) a court-appointed estate representative will present the appropriate documents, close the account and move funds to an estate account.
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
Bank of America's published guidance does not state whether an estate account can be opened online. Its stated channel is in person at a branch, by appointment.
Bank of America asks for: Court-issued probate document establishing the appointment (Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration); EIN for the estate (Employer Identification Number issued by the IRS).
Yes. Bank of America 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.
Bank of America's published guidance does not state a co-executor appearance rule. When more than one executor or administrator was appointed, confirm with Bank of America 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 Bank of America primary sources (3 pages reviewed). How we research.
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