How Do I Open an Estate Account at Citibank?
Citibank 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 Citibank
Account type: Special Title Account
Where to open it
In a branch
How it opens
- In a branch
- Available
- Online
- Not available
Documents to bring
- Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) issued by the IRS for the estate
- Court appointment as Executor, Administrator, or Personal Representative (Letters Testamentary or of Administration)
What it costs
- Opening deposit
- $0 for a checking or savings account; $500 for a Certificate of Deposit
- Monthly fee
- Varies by account
- Fee waived at
- $500 average monthly balance on savings; no balance waiver on either checking account
- Other waivers
- Checking: an Enhanced Direct Deposit of $250 or more in the calendar month. Savings: any owner also owning a Citi Checking account. The Relationship Tier waiver is not reachable by an estate
- Schedule that applies
- Appendix 1: Fee Schedule of the Citibank Consumer Deposit Account Agreement; Monthly Service Fee and Non-Citi ATM Fee Chart, effective July 18, 2026
- For estate accounts
- The agreement excludes "accounts owned by Estates" from EDI accounts, and EDI balances maintain Relationship Tiers, so an estate cannot earn the Relationship Tier fee waiver. An Estate Account is a Special Title ownership type on a consumer checking, savings or CD account and pays that product's published fee
| Account | To open | Monthly fee | Waiver or condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Checking | $0 | $15.00 | an Enhanced Direct Deposit of $250 or more in the calendar month |
| Access Checking | $0 | $5.00 | an Enhanced Direct Deposit of $250 or more in the calendar month |
| Citi Savings | $0 | $4.50 | $500 average monthly balance, or any owner also owning a Citi Checking account |
| Certificate of Deposit | $500 | $0 |
What to know at Citibank
A new CD opened with an Estate Special Title is priced off the Rate Sheet supplied when the application was submitted, rather than at opening. Citi Accelerate Savings and Citi Miles Ahead Savings cannot be applied for in a branch, where Citi sends Special Title owners. The Estate Servicing Unit answers Monday to Friday from 8:00 in the morning to 9:00 at night, Eastern time.
Not in Citibank's published guidance
- Whether it can be opened by phone or by mail
- Whether a branch appointment is needed
- Whether every co-executor must sign or appear
- 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 11, 2026
No. Citibank states an estate account cannot be opened online. It states the account can be opened in a branch.
Citibank asks for: Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) issued by the IRS for the estate; Court appointment as Executor, Administrator, or Personal Representative (Letters Testamentary or of Administration).
Opening deposit: $0 for a checking or savings account; $500 for a Certificate of Deposit. Monthly fee: Varies by account. The agreement excludes "accounts owned by Estates" from EDI accounts, and EDI balances maintain Relationship Tiers, so an estate cannot earn the Relationship Tier fee waiver. An Estate Account is a Special Title ownership type on a consumer checking, savings or CD account and pays that product's published fee. Citibank's 4 published accounts are listed above with their fees and waivers; the estate account carries the fees of the account 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.
Sources
Data sourced from Citibank 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.
