How Do I Open an Estate Account at Camden National?

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

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Opening an estate account at Camden National

Account type: Executor account, Administrator account, Personal representative account

Where to open it

In a branch

Before you go

The account is opened under the estate's EIN — not the deceased's Social Security Number. Get the estate's EIN free

Opening channels

In a branch: Available
Online: Not stated
By phone: Not stated
By mail: Not stated
Appointment: Not required
Co-executors: Not stated

Documents to bring

Certified copy of the death certificate
Valid form of identity for the fiduciary (Driver's License, State ID, or Passport)
Tax ID Number (EIN) of the estate -- required in order to open an estate account
Probate documents, when available and if applicable (e.g., Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration)

Steps at Camden National

1
Notify Camden National Bank of the death by visiting a banking center, calling (800) 860-8821 (24/7), sending a secure message through "Connect with Us" in digital banking, or writing to Camden National Bank, Attn: Customer Care Team, PO Box 310, Camden, ME 04843
2
Obtain the estate's Tax ID Number (EIN) from the IRS -- Camden National Bank requires it in order to open an estate account
3
Gather the documents the bank states it will need:
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Valid form of your identity (Driver's License, State ID, or Passport)
- Probate documents, when available and if applicable
4
Visit a Camden National Bank banking center to open the estate account; the bank recommends scheduling an appointment online at CamdenNational.com so you're less likely to have to wait when you arrive, but an appointment is not stated as required
5
The bank will review the presented estate authority and may require additional documents and authorizations to satisfy itself that the person directing transactions on the estate account has authority to do so

What to know at Camden National

Camden National Bank's deposit account agreement (Disclosure Packet, "ESTATE ACCOUNT" section) recognizes executor, administrator, and personal representative accounts of a decedent's estate as an account ownership type, and reserves the right to require documents and authorizations it believes necessary to establish the fiduciary's authority; it will continue to honor the estate authority presented until it receives written notice that the authority has been altered or terminated. The "Guiding you through bereavement" guide states the estate's Tax ID Number is required in order to open an estate account. The guide's published channels (banking centers, 24/7 phone, digital-banking secure message, mail) are its bereavement-notification channels; only the in-person banking center route is tied to handling the account work, so phone/mail/online opening availability is not stated. Upon notice of death the bank freezes solely owned accounts. No minimum opening deposit, Letters recency window, or co-fiduciary signature rule is published for estate accounts.

Estate services: 1-800-224-5166View Camden National'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

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

Camden National asks for: Certified copy of the death certificate; Valid form of identity for the fiduciary (Driver's License, State ID, or Passport); Tax ID Number (EIN) of the estate -- required in order to open an estate account; Probate documents, when available and if applicable (e.g., Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration).

Yes. Camden National 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.

Camden National's published guidance does not state a co-executor appearance rule. When more than one executor or administrator was appointed, confirm with Camden National 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.