How Do I Open an Estate Account at PlainsCapital?
PlainsCapital 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 PlainsCapital
Where to open it
In a branch
How it opens
- In a branch
- Available
Documents to bring
- Completed Business Banking New Account Form (PlainsCapital Bank Commercial Switch Kit)
- Death certificate with Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration
- Federal Tax Identification Number (EIN) for the estate; IRS TIN Confirmation Letter if requested
- Legible copy of a valid driver's license or state identification card for each authorized signer
Steps at PlainsCapital
- 1Obtain an EIN for the estate from the IRS; the form accepts a Social Security number only for a sole proprietorship or trust.
- 2Download the PlainsCapital Bank Commercial Switch Kit from plainscapital.com and fill out its Business Banking New Account Form, checking Estate as the Type of Business and entering the estate's EIN.
- 3Gather the documents the form lists for an estate:
- Death certificate with Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration
- IRS TIN Confirmation Letter, if the bank requests it
- A legible copy of a valid driver's license or state ID card for each authorized signer
- 4Print the form and bring it with the documents to a PlainsCapital Bank branch in Texas; find one at plainscapital.com/locations.
What it costs
- Opening deposit
- $100 (business checking products)
What to know at PlainsCapital
PlainsCapital opens an estate account through its business banking intake: Estate is one of the entity types on the Business Banking New Account Form. One Deposit Account Agreement and Services Disclosure covers both personal and business accounts, so the estate account and the deceased's personal accounts fall under the same terms.
Not in PlainsCapital'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
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 14, 2026
PlainsCapital's published guidance does not state whether an estate account can be opened online. It states the account can be opened in a branch.
PlainsCapital asks for: Completed Business Banking New Account Form (PlainsCapital Bank Commercial Switch Kit); Death certificate with Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration; Federal Tax Identification Number (EIN) for the estate; IRS TIN Confirmation Letter if requested; Legible copy of a valid driver's license or state identification card for each authorized signer.
Opening deposit: $100 (business checking products).
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 PlainsCapital 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.
