How Do I Open an Estate Account at Bank of America?
Bank of America opens estate accounts for a court-appointed executor or administrator. The account is opened in a branch by appointment. The documents it asks for, what the account costs, and the steps it lists are below.
Opening an estate account at Bank of America
Where to open it
In a branch by appointment
How it opens
- In a branch
- Available
- Appointment
- Required
Who can open it
- EIN proof
- The number alone
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.
- 3Bring the probate document and the EIN to the appointment, where an associate opens the account.
What it costs
- Opening deposit
- $100.00 (Advantage Plus Banking, Advantage Relationship Banking and Advantage Savings)
- Monthly fee
- Varies by account
- Fee waived at
- Varies by account
- Other waivers
- Fiduciary accounts, including estate accounts, are excluded from the Advantage Relationship Banking additional-account benefit and the under-age-25 waiver; no waiver at the BofA Rewards Member tier
- Schedule that applies
- Not stated for estate accounts; the Personal and the Business Schedule of Fees both carry estate-account terms
- For estate accounts
- The Personal Schedule of Fees excludes "Fiduciary accounts, including trust and estate accounts," from the Advantage Relationship Banking additional-account benefit and the under-age-25 waiver. The Business Schedule of Fees says estate accounts cannot be linked to non-fiduciary accounts and do not count toward the combined balance requirement, and estates do not qualify for Preferred Rewards for Business.
| Account | To open | Monthly fee | Waiver or condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank of America Advantage Plus Banking | $100.00 | $12.00 | $1,500.00 minimum daily balance, or one qualifying direct deposit of $250 or more per statement cycle |
| Bank of America Advantage Relationship Banking | $100.00 | $25.00 | $20,000.00 minimum daily balance |
| Bank of America Advantage Savings | $100.00 | $8.00 | $500.00 minimum daily balance |
Once it is open
- Deceased's balances
- Paid by check to the estate
What to know at Bank of America
When the deceased lived in a Hague Apostille Convention country, Bank of America requires a copy of the local death certificate with an English translation and an apostille; a death in a non-Convention country needs the certificate and translation without the apostille. The bank may refuse to recognize a legal document affecting the account that is not on its form or appears incomplete or improperly executed.
Not in Bank of America's published guidance
- Whether it can be opened online, by phone, or by mail
- Whether every co-executor must sign or appear
- 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
- Whether the account comes with online banking, checks, a debit card, or mobile deposit
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 23, 2026
Bank of America's published guidance does not state whether an estate account can be opened online. It states the account can be opened in 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).
Opening deposit: $100.00 (Advantage Plus Banking, Advantage Relationship Banking and Advantage Savings). Monthly fee: Varies by account. The Personal Schedule of Fees excludes "Fiduciary accounts, including trust and estate accounts," from the Advantage Relationship Banking additional-account benefit and the under-age-25 waiver. The Business Schedule of Fees says estate accounts cannot be linked to non-fiduciary accounts and do not count toward the combined balance requirement, and estates do not qualify for Preferred Rewards for Business. Bank of America's 3 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 Bank of America primary sources (5 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.
