How Do I Open an Estate Account at Bank of Hawaii?
Bank of Hawaii opens estate accounts for a court-appointed executor or administrator. The account is opened in a branch. The documents it asks for, what the account costs, and the steps it lists are below.
Opening an estate account at Bank of Hawaii
Where to open it
In a branch
What Bank of Hawaii says about small estates
Where probate is needed, the personal representative submits Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.Consumer Deposit Account Agreement (DDA-721)View source
Bank of Hawaii's survivor guide says the overall estate settlement process can take 12 months or longer.When a Loved One Passes (form AD-790_E)View source
How it opens
- In a branch
- Available
- Co-executors
- All must sign or appear
Steps at Bank of Hawaii
- 1The banker opens the estate account as a Fiduciary Account, with ownership set by the signature card.
- 2If the court appointed more than one personal representative, open the account in the names of all of them.
- 3When administration is complete, close the estate checking account.
What it costs
Bank of Hawaii does not state the opening deposit, monthly fee, or fee-waiver balance for an estate account.
- Other waivers
- Direct Deposit waivers require an ACH deposit "by someone else, such as an employer issuing payroll or a government paying benefits"; the EASE under-18 waiver applies only for sole account ownership
- Schedule that applies
- Not stated for estate accounts; Consumer fee schedule DDA-161 (Rev. 7/27/2026) or Business fee schedule DDA-151 (Rev. 06/11/2025)
- For estate accounts
- "A Bankohana Account may not be opened by a custodian under the Uniform Transfers to Minors Act, by a personal representative of an estate, or by a representative payee." The Bankohana combined-balance and Bankohana-only fee waivers do not reach an estate account
| Account | To open | Monthly fee | Waiver or condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| EASE by Bank of Hawaii | $25 | $3.25 | average daily Ledger Balance of $200 or a Direct Deposit of any amount |
| Convenience Checking | $25 | $5.00 | average daily Ledger Balance of $500 or a Direct Deposit of $500 |
| Personal Money Management Checking | $100 | $8.00 ($1 discount with Direct Deposit) | minimum daily Ledger Balance of $500 or average daily Ledger Balance of $1,000 |
| Regular Savings | $100 | $5.00 | minimum daily Ledger Balance of $300 |
| Business Checking (Option 1) | $100 | No flat monthly fee ($0.50 per deposit/check paid over 20 per month) | |
| Business Checking (Option 2) | $100 | $8.00 ($0.50 each over 50 per month) | minimum low balance of $2,000 or average balance of $4,000 |
| Business Savings | $100 | $6.50 | minimum low balance of $1,500 |
Once it is open
- Online banking
- Available
What to know at Bank of Hawaii
An estate account at Bank of Hawaii cannot be a Bankohana or Bankohana Premier account; Premier is limited to an individual or a trust. The bank requires only one authorized signature for transactions, whatever the governing document says. Executors and personal representatives can enroll an estate account in Online Banking as fiduciary customers.
Not in Bank of Hawaii's published guidance
- Which documents it asks for
- Whether it can be opened online, by phone, or by mail
- Whether a branch appointment is needed
- 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 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 23, 2026
Bank of Hawaii's published guidance does not state whether an estate account can be opened online. It states the account can be opened in a branch.
Bank of Hawaii publishes no document list for estate accounts.
Bank of Hawaii does not state the opening deposit, monthly fee, or fee-waiver balance for an estate account. "A Bankohana Account may not be opened by a custodian under the Uniform Transfers to Minors Act, by a personal representative of an estate, or by a representative payee." The Bankohana combined-balance and Bankohana-only fee waivers do not reach an estate account. The estate account carries the fees of whichever of Bank of Hawaii's 7 published accounts 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.
Is this your situation?
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
Forms for Settling an Estate
Free forms for settling an estate: probate petition, small estate affidavit, creditor notice and closing forms. Prepare each form for your state.
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 taxes. Run each tool for your state.
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 Letters Testamentary?
See the court that issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration, the petition, the bond, and the documents to file.
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.
How Do I Claim a Deceased Person's Unclaimed Property?
See where to search for a deceased person's unclaimed property and what each state asks an heir or executor to send.
