How Do I Open an Estate Account at FourLeaf FCU?
FourLeaf FCU opens estate accounts for a court-appointed executor or administrator. The account is opened in a branch or by mail. The documents it asks for, what the account costs, and the steps it lists are below.
Opening an estate account at FourLeaf FCU
Account type: Bonus Checking, Savings or Money Market, Certificate
Where to open it
In a branch or by mail
How it opens
- In a branch
- Available
- By mail
- Available
- Letters
- Certified within 180 days
Who can open it
- Existing customer
- Not required
- Membership
- Required
- Death certificate
- Certified copy
- EIN proof
- The number alone
Documents to bring
- Death Certificate with seal
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration, original or certified copy dated within the past 6 months
- Federal EIN number for the estate as provided by the Department of the Treasury
- Driver's license of the executor of the estate
- FourLeaf Fiduciary Account Signature Card (FLFCU-400)
- Estate Affidavit
Steps at FourLeaf FCU
- 1Download the Fiduciary Account Signature Card (FLFCU-400).
- 2Complete the signature card:
- Check "New account" and "Estate Account" in Section 1
- Check the product types in Section 2: savings, checking, money market, or certificate
- Enter the estate name and its EIN in Section 3, and the executor or administrator details in Section 4
- Each fiduciary signs Section 5
- 3Bring the card, sealed death certificate, Letters dated within the past 6 months, estate EIN, Estate Affidavit and executor's driver's license to a FourLeaf branch, or call 844-306-0529 to open by mail.
- 4Mail submissions to FourLeaf Federal Credit Union, Attn: Operations, P.O. Box 2069, Glen Burnie, MD 21060.
What it costs
- Monthly fee
- None published for an estate account
- Schedule that applies
- FourLeaf Fee Schedule, FL-0025 Rev. 3/2025 (the consumer schedule)
- For estate accounts
- An estate account is opened as one of four consumer products selected on the fiduciary signature card (Savings, Money Market, Bonus Checking, Certificate), so the consumer Fee Schedule governs. The Business Account Schedule of Fees names no estate or fiduciary account
| Account | To open | Monthly fee |
|---|---|---|
| Savings | $5.00 | |
| Money Market | $1.00 in branch | |
| Bonus Checking | No minimum | $0 |
| Certificate | $50.00 |
Once it is open
- Online banking
- Available
- Checks
- Available
- Debit card
- Issued
- Deceased's balances
- Moved directly into the estate account
What to know at FourLeaf FCU
FourLeaf's Legal Department may review an estate account before approving it. FourLeaf may require any further documents and authorizations it deems necessary to satisfy itself of the fiduciary's authority, at opening and at any time afterward.
Not in FourLeaf FCU's published guidance
- Whether it can be opened online or by phone
- 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 mobile deposit
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 13, 2026
FourLeaf FCU's published guidance does not state whether an estate account can be opened online. It states the account can be opened in a branch or by mail.
FourLeaf FCU asks for: Death Certificate with seal; Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration, original or certified copy dated within the past 6 months; Federal EIN number for the estate as provided by the Department of the Treasury; Driver's license of the executor of the estate; FourLeaf Fiduciary Account Signature Card (FLFCU-400); Estate Affidavit.
Monthly fee: None published for an estate account. An estate account is opened as one of four consumer products selected on the fiduciary signature card (Savings, Money Market, Bonus Checking, Certificate), so the consumer Fee Schedule governs. The Business Account Schedule of Fees names no estate or fiduciary account. FourLeaf FCU'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 FourLeaf FCU 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.
