How Do I Open an Estate Account at Busey?
Busey's estate-account opening requirements: where the account can be opened, the documents to bring, and the EIN requirement.
Opening an estate account at Busey
Opening channels
- In a branch
- Available
- Online
- Not stated
- By phone
- Not stated
- By mail
- Not stated
- Appointment
- Not stated
- Co-executors
- Not stated
Documents to bring
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration — the court order appointing the executor or administrator (the deposit agreement permits fiduciary accounts opened "as executors, administrators, or conservators under court orders")
- Government-issued photo ID for the fiduciary (per the deposit agreement's account-opening identification disclosure: name, address, date of birth, and identifying documents such as a driver's license)
- Certified death certificate (the documented precondition for all Busey death-claim processing at a banking center)
What to know at Busey
Busey documents estate-account opening only through its deposit Terms and Conditions, whose FIDUCIARY ACCOUNTS clause permits accounts opened by executors, administrators, or conservators under court orders; there is no named estate account product, no published opening procedure, no minimum opening deposit, no EIN requirement, no Letters recency window, no co-fiduciary presence rule, and no estimated opening time anywhere found (sweep of busey.com verified 2026-07-16). The route the sources support: visit a Busey banking center (the documented in-person account-opening channel; Customer Care at 800.672.8739 routes estate matters) with the certified death certificate, Letters, and fiduciary ID, and open the account under the standard deposit agreement. The agreement adds that Busey is not responsible for a fiduciary's actions and undertakes no obligation to monitor or enforce the terms of the letters.
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
Busey's published guidance does not state whether an estate account can be opened online. Its stated channel is in person at a branch.
Busey asks for: Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration — the court order appointing the executor or administrator (the deposit agreement permits fiduciary accounts opened "as executors, administrators, or conservators under court orders"); Government-issued photo ID for the fiduciary (per the deposit agreement's account-opening identification disclosure: name, address, date of birth, and identifying documents such as a driver's license); Certified death certificate (the documented precondition for all Busey death-claim processing at a banking center).
Busey's published guidance does not state a co-executor appearance rule. When more than one executor or administrator was appointed, confirm with Busey 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 Busey primary sources (3 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.
