How Do I Open an Estate Account at Dodge & Cox?
Dodge & Cox opens estate accounts for a court-appointed executor or administrator. The account is opened online or by mail. The documents it asks for, what the account costs, and the steps it lists are below.
Opening an estate account at Dodge & Cox
Where to open it
Online or by mail
How it opens
- In a branch
- Not available
- Online
- Available
- By phone
- Not available
- By mail
- Available
- Appointment
- Not required
Who can open it
- Existing customer
- Not required
- EIN proof
- The number alone
Documents to bring
- Account Application for Individual and Personal Trusts, Part 3C (Estate Account)
- Name of the estate and the deceased shareholder's date of death
- The estate's Taxpayer Identification Number, or the deceased shareholder's Social Security number
- Name(s) of the executor(s)
- Letter of Testamentary
- Minimum initial investment of $2,500 per Fund account, or $500 with an Automatic Investment Plan ($100+ per month)
Steps at Dodge & Cox
- 1Complete Part 3C (Estate Account) of the Account Application for Individual and Personal Trusts.
- 2Include a Letter of Testamentary with the application.
- 3Mail the application to Dodge & Cox Funds, P.O. Box 219502, Kansas City, MO 64121-9502; for express, certified or registered mail, use 801 Pennsylvania Ave, Suite 219502, Kansas City, MO 64105-1307.
What it costs
- Opening deposit
- $2,500 per Fund account; $500 with an Automatic Investment Plan of at least $100 per month ($1,000 for IRAs)
- Schedule that applies
- No fee schedule is published; the prospectus Shareholder Fees table reads "None" on every line for every fund
Once it is open
- Online banking
- Available
What to know at Dodge & Cox
Dodge & Cox is a mutual fund company: its estate account is an investment account registered to the estate that holds Dodge & Cox Funds, not a checking account for paying estate bills. Transferring the deceased's shares to an heir uses the Inheritance Form instead, with a Medallion Signature Guarantee and a copy of the court appointment received within 180 days of its certification by the court.
Not in Dodge & Cox's published guidance
- Whether every co-executor must sign or appear
- Whether an out-of-state executor can open one
- Whether the death certificate must be a certified copy
- Whether the account comes with 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
Yes. Dodge & Cox's published guidance states an estate account can be opened online. It also states the account can be opened by mail.
Dodge & Cox asks for: Account Application for Individual and Personal Trusts, Part 3C (Estate Account); Name of the estate and the deceased shareholder's date of death; The estate's Taxpayer Identification Number, or the deceased shareholder's Social Security number; Name(s) of the executor(s); Letter of Testamentary; Minimum initial investment of $2,500 per Fund account, or $500 with an Automatic Investment Plan ($100+ per month).
Opening deposit: $2,500 per Fund account; $500 with an Automatic Investment Plan of at least $100 per month ($1,000 for IRAs).
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 Dodge & Cox primary sources (5 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.
