How Do I Open an Estate Account at Hanmi?
Hanmi's estate-account opening requirements: where the account can be opened, the documents to bring, and the EIN requirement.
Opening an estate account at Hanmi
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 to bring
- Any documents Hanmi reasonably requests to satisfy that the fiduciary is authorized to open and use the account -- the Fiduciary Accounts clause reserves this right for estate accounts and lets the bank block withdrawals until all requested documents are received (Letters Testamentary/of Administration are not named)
- CIP identifying information for the person opening: name, address, date of birth, and other identifying information; a driver's license or other identifying documents may be requested and photocopied (Deposit Account Agreement, "Identification" and "Individual Accounts" clauses)
- A certified taxpayer identification number for the account -- the agreement states Hanmi "may refuse to open, and we may close, any account for which you do not provide a certified TIN" (for an estate account this is the estate's EIN)
What to know at Hanmi
The Hanmi Deposit Account Agreement (effective 07/01/2025) is the only Hanmi source describing estate accounts, and it treats them as a governed fiduciary account type rather than documenting an opening procedure: the bank may require any documents it reasonably requests to establish the fiduciary's authority, may withhold all withdrawals until it receives them, and disclaims fiduciary duties to the executor and to the account's beneficial owners. Hanmi publishes no estate-account product page, no deceased-customer page, no fiduciary account application, and no channel or appointment guidance; the personal forms page (hanmi.com/personal/resources/) carries only the deposit agreement, fee schedule, state POA forms, and wire paperwork. An executor would start with the Customer Call Center at (855) 773-8778 (Mon-Fri 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM PT, Korean-language support available) or a branch. The online opening portal offers only five standard personal products, so the estate account is a branch/phone conversation, not a self-service opening.
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. Hanmi states an estate account cannot be opened online.
Hanmi asks for: Any documents Hanmi reasonably requests to satisfy that the fiduciary is authorized to open and use the account -- the Fiduciary Accounts clause reserves this right for estate accounts and lets the bank block withdrawals until all requested documents are received (Letters Testamentary/of Administration are not named); CIP identifying information for the person opening: name, address, date of birth, and other identifying information; a driver's license or other identifying documents may be requested and photocopied (Deposit Account Agreement, "Identification" and "Individual Accounts" clauses); A certified taxpayer identification number for the account -- the agreement states Hanmi "may refuse to open, and we may close, any account for which you do not provide a certified TIN" (for an estate account this is the estate's EIN).
Hanmi's published guidance does not state a co-executor appearance rule. When more than one executor or administrator was appointed, confirm with Hanmi 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 Hanmi primary sources (3 pages reviewed). How we research.
