How Do I Open an Estate Account at Discover?
Discover publishes no estate-account opening procedure. What its guidance does cover, and its estate services contacts.
Estate accounts at Discover
Opening channels
- In a branch
- Not stated
- Online
- Not available
- By phone
- Not stated
- By mail
- Not stated
- Appointment
- Not stated
- Co-executors
- Not stated
Documents in its guidance
- W-9 certification by the Primary Accountholder -- a stated condition to open and maintain any Discover account (Deposit Account Agreement Section 3)
- CIP identifying information for the person opening: name, U.S. physical address (no P.O. Boxes), SSN or EIN, date of birth; a driver's license, state ID card, or other identifying documents may be requested (Deposit Account Agreement Section 2(a))
- Estate EIN for tax reporting -- or the decedent's Social Security number if the estate has not been issued an EIN (Deposit Account Agreement Section 8(a)(v)). Letters Testamentary/of Administration are NOT stated as an opening requirement anywhere; the 12-month certified Letters of Office requirement is the death-claim side, not account opening.
What to know at Discover
Discover's current Deposit Account Agreement (rev BK.DBATAGT.L.0126, (c)2026, fetched live 2026-07-16) is the only Discover source describing estate accounts, and it does so as a governed ownership type: opened by the estate's personal representative, eligible for Money Market and Non-IRA CD only, co-PRs acting severally/independently, estate EIN (or decedent SSN) for tax reporting, and no Discover duty to monitor the PR. It publishes no estate-opening procedure, form, or channel mapping, and its introduction states the agreement "does not obligate us to offer" any product it describes. Whether a NEW estate account can actually be opened today is unclear because Discover deposit new business is winding down into Capital One: every deposit product/application page on discover.com (money market, CD, checking, savings, banking FAQ) 301-redirects to capitalone.com product pages (each redirect chased live 2026-07-16), and the online-banking landing page steers "Open an Account" links to Capital One 360 products. No Discover page affirmatively states estate accounts can no longer be opened, so this is recorded as unclear rather than false. The settlement path does not require one: per Deceased_Cust_Acc_Handling_Steps.pdf (rev 10.2024), when an estate goes through probate "the Estate representative will receive the funds made payable to the Estate" -- a check the executor deposits at whichever institution holds the estate account. An executor asking about opening would reach the Documentation Specialists line at 1-866-515-5283 (the number on the specialty-process Letter of Instruction) or the Beneficiary Care Team at 1-800-975-0162.
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
Discover publishes no estate-account opening procedure, and its guidance does not state whether estate accounts are offered. Its estate services team can confirm directly.
Discover's published guidance names: W-9 certification by the Primary Accountholder -- a stated condition to open and maintain any Discover account (Deposit Account Agreement Section 3); CIP identifying information for the person opening: name, U.S. physical address (no P.O. Boxes), SSN or EIN, date of birth; a driver's license, state ID card, or other identifying documents may be requested (Deposit Account Agreement Section 2(a)); Estate EIN for tax reporting -- or the decedent's Social Security number if the estate has not been issued an EIN (Deposit Account Agreement Section 8(a)(v)). Letters Testamentary/of Administration are NOT stated as an opening requirement anywhere; the 12-month certified Letters of Office requirement is the death-claim side, not account opening..
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 Discover primary sources (6 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.
