How Do I Open an Estate Account at ESL Federal CU?
ESL Federal CU 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 ESL Federal CU
Account type: Free Checking, Premier Checking, Money Maker or Premier Money Maker
Where to open it
In a branch
How it opens
- In a branch
- Available
Who can open it
- Existing customer
- Required
- Membership
- Required
- Death certificate
- Certified copy
Documents to bring
- A certified copy of the member's Death Certificate
- A Tax ID Number (TIN) for the estate
- Court documents designating an estate executor/administrator
- Current identification of the estate executor/administrator or voluntary administrator establishing the estate account
Steps at ESL Federal CU
- 1Notify ESL of the death at 585.336.1000 or 800.848.2265, through chat, or at a branch, and get connected to the Customer Case Specialist team at 585.336.1599 or depositops@esl.org.
- 2Obtain a Tax ID Number (TIN) for the estate before the branch visit.
- 3Bring the certified death certificate, the estate's TIN, the court documents designating you, and your current identification to an ESL branch.
What it costs
- Opening deposit
- Varies by account
- Monthly fee
- Varies by account
- Fee waived at
- Premier Checking $1,000 average monthly balance; Premier Money Maker $25,000 average monthly balance
- Other waivers
- Estate accounts fall outside Courtesy Pay overdraft coverage
- Schedule that applies
- The chosen product's section of the Savings and Checking Disclosure (20-4111C (7/26)) and that product's fee page
- For estate accounts
- "At ESL, our Free Checking, Premier Checking, Money Maker, and Premier Money Maker accounts can be opened as an estate account". Courtesy Pay applies only if "the share draft account is not an account set up by a fiduciary", and ESL defines an estate account as one opened by a fiduciary.
- Other charges
- Low Balance/Inactivity Fee $5.00 per month after one year without activity, with aggregate share balance under $100 and no active loans
| Account | To open | Monthly fee | Waiver or condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Checking | $1.00 | No monthly service fees | |
| Premier Checking | $1.00 | $10.00 | average monthly balance of at least $1,000 |
| Money Maker | $2,500.00 | No monthly service fees | |
| Premier Money Maker | $10,000 | $15.00 | monthly average balance of $25,000 |
What to know at ESL Federal CU
ESL opens an estate account only when the deceased was an ESL member in good standing at the time of death; surviving family who are ESL members do not qualify a deceased non-member. The estate account is one of four existing ESL products opened in the estate's name, and Money Maker and Premier Money Maker allow check writing. ESL's Customer Case Specialist team or the executor's attorney decides whether an estate account fits the situation.
Not in ESL Federal CU's published guidance
- Whether it can be opened online, by phone, or by mail
- Whether a branch appointment is needed
- Whether every co-executor must sign or appear
- Whether an out-of-state executor can open one
- 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 17, 2026
ESL Federal CU's published guidance does not state whether an estate account can be opened online. It states the account can be opened in a branch.
ESL Federal CU asks for: A certified copy of the member's Death Certificate; A Tax ID Number (TIN) for the estate; Court documents designating an estate executor/administrator; Current identification of the estate executor/administrator or voluntary administrator establishing the estate account.
Opening deposit: Varies by account. Monthly fee: Varies by account. "At ESL, our Free Checking, Premier Checking, Money Maker, and Premier Money Maker accounts can be opened as an estate account". Courtesy Pay applies only if "the share draft account is not an account set up by a fiduciary", and ESL defines an estate account as one opened by a fiduciary. ESL Federal CU'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 ESL Federal CU primary sources (9 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.
