How Do I Open an Estate Account at Comerica?
Comerica's estate-account opening requirements: where the account can be opened, the documents to bring, and the EIN requirement.
Opening an estate account at Comerica
Account type: checking, savings, CDs
Opening channels
- In a branch
- Available
- Online
- Not available
- By phone
- Not stated
- By mail
- Not stated
- Appointment
- Not stated
- Co-executors
- Not stated
Documents to bring
- Identifying information for the person opening the account -- name, address, date of birth -- plus a driver's license or other identifying documents, per the deposit contract's account-opening provisions
- All of the documentation the bank requires to open the account (the deposit contract reserves this broadly and does not publish an estate-specific checklist)
What to know at Comerica
Comerica's Personal Services and Charges Brochure and Deposit Contract (deposit contract effective 02/01/2026) defines Personal Accounts -- checking, savings, and CDs -- as offered to estates, confirming estate-titled deposit accounts are a supported ownership type; the contract also references decedent holds. However, Comerica publishes no estate-account-specific opening procedure, itemized document list (Letters, EIN letter), Letters recency window, EIN timing, or minimum deposit. Online account opening is suspended bank-wide as of 2026-07-16 ("Please check back soon for a new and improved online account opening service") while Comerica transitions to a new platform, with applicants directed in person to its 400+ banking centers -- so in-branch is the documented opening path. The deposit contract's governing-law clause contemplates applications "by mail, fax, online, or through other remote means" generically, but no Comerica source states an estate account can be opened by mail or phone. Comerica's estate-settlement insights article acknowledges the step: "Executors will open a new account for the purpose of managing the estate." Note the Fifth Third merger: full system/brand conversion is expected in Q3 2026, after which Fifth Third procedures will govern.
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
No. Comerica states an estate account cannot be opened online. Opening is done in person at a branch.
Comerica asks for: Identifying information for the person opening the account -- name, address, date of birth -- plus a driver's license or other identifying documents, per the deposit contract's account-opening provisions; All of the documentation the bank requires to open the account (the deposit contract reserves this broadly and does not publish an estate-specific checklist).
Comerica's published guidance does not state a co-executor appearance rule. When more than one executor or administrator was appointed, confirm with Comerica 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 Comerica primary sources (3 pages reviewed). How we research.
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