How Do I Open an Estate Account at Bank of Hawaii?

Bank of Hawaii's estate-account opening requirements: where the account can be opened, the documents to bring, and the EIN requirement.

Select a bank

Opening an estate account at Bank of Hawaii

Account type: Fiduciary Account (the DDA-721 Section D.1 ownership type for executor/administrator accounts; the bank's survivor guide refers to "the estate checking account")

Where to open it

In a branch

Opening channels

In a branch: Available
Online: Not stated
By phone: Not stated
By mail: Not stated
Appointment: Not stated
Co-executors: All must be present

Documents to bring

Death certificate
Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration issued by a probate court

Steps at Bank of Hawaii

1
Report the death and ask about opening the estate account by calling 808-643-3888 in Hawaii or 1-888-643-3888 from the U.S. Mainland and Canada, or book a banker appointment at [boh.com/bank-by-appointment](https://www.boh.com/bank-by-appointment) — the survivor guide (AD-790_E) says to "Make an appointment via BOH.com to visit a Bank of Hawai'i branch for specialized care"
2
Bring the documents the guide lists for deposit-account matters:
- Death certificate
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration issued by a probate court
3
Obtain a Taxpayer Identification Number (EIN) for the estate from the IRS — the guide lists this as an estate-settlement step for filing the estate's income tax returns; it does not state whether the EIN must be in hand before the account is opened, so ask the banker
4
If the court appointed more than one personal representative, plan for every co-fiduciary to be named on the account: under DDA-721 (Section D.1) a Fiduciary Account with more than one fiduciary must be opened under the names of all fiduciaries, though only one signature is required for transactions regardless of what the governing document says
5
The banker opens the account as a "Fiduciary Account" — account ownership is determined by the signature card, and the banker will also discuss related arrangements such as loans, cards, direct deposits, and estate settlement and trustee services
6
When administration is complete, close the account — the guide's settlement checklist ends with "Close the estate checking account"

What to know at Bank of Hawaii

Bank of Hawaii publishes no estate-account product page, no estate-account opening checklist, and no stated minimum deposit, Letters recency window, or opening timeline. The account exists as the "Fiduciary Account" ownership type in the Consumer Deposit Account Agreement (DDA-721, Section D.1), which names the executor and administrator among its fiduciaries; the bank's "Steps After Losing a Loved One" article tells survivors an estate account is needed, and its "When a Loved One Passes" guide (AD-790_E) handles all deposit-account estate matters through a branch banker appointment. The online account-opening flow enumerates only personal checking and savings products with no fiduciary option, and the business account checklists (BB-30 series) cover only corporations, LLCs, partnerships, and sole proprietorships — no estate variant. The multiple-signature limitation (DDA-721, Section C.3) means the bank acts on any one authorized signature even if co-personal-representatives want two-signature control.

Estate services: 1-888-643-3888View Bank of Hawaii's guidance

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 Hawaii's published guidance does not state whether an estate account can be opened online. Its stated channel is in person at a branch.

Bank of Hawaii asks for: Death certificate; Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration issued by a probate court.

Yes. Bank of Hawaii requires all executors or administrators to be present to open the account.

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.