How Do I Open an Estate Account at Cathay Bank?
Cathay Bank opens estate accounts for a court-appointed executor or administrator. The documents it asks for, what the account costs, and the steps it lists are below.
Opening an estate account at Cathay Bank
Where to open it
Not published by Cathay Bank
How it opens
- Online
- Not available
Documents to bring
- Certified taxpayer identification number for the account (IRS Form W-9)
- Name, address, date of birth, and ID such as a driver's license, for each person opening or signing on the account
What it costs
Cathay Bank does not state the opening deposit, monthly fee, or fee-waiver balance for an estate account.
- Schedule that applies
- Not stated for estate accounts; candidate: Schedule of Fees - Consumer, Rev (1/29/25)
- Other charges
- Account Closing Fee $10.00 if within 90 days of account opening ($30.00 if within 180 days, Basic Checking only)
What to know at Cathay Bank
Cathay Bank's Deposit Account Agreement names estates first among the fiduciary accounts for which it takes documents at the time of account opening, and the bank may require documents establishing the fiduciary's authority at opening and at any time after.
Not in Cathay Bank's published guidance
- Whether it can be opened in a branch, by phone, or by mail
- Whether a branch appointment is needed
- Whether every co-executor must sign or appear
- 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 online banking, 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 16, 2026
No. Cathay Bank states an estate account cannot be opened online.
Cathay Bank asks for: Certified taxpayer identification number for the account (IRS Form W-9); Name, address, date of birth, and ID such as a driver's license, for each person opening or signing on 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.
Sources
Data sourced from Cathay Bank primary sources (3 pages reviewed). How we research.
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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.
