How Do I Open an Estate Account at Mountain America?
Mountain America 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 Mountain America
Where to open it
In a branch
How it opens
- In a branch
- Available
Who can open it
- Membership
- Required
Documents to bring
- Estate EIN
- Government-issued photo ID for the personal representative, plus Social Security number or other TIN
- Completed Membership Application with the fiduciary designated as such
Steps at Mountain America
- 1Obtain the estate's EIN.
- 2Arrange a branch visit by calling 1-800-748-4302 or at macu.com/schedule-appointment.
- 3At the branch, complete and sign a Membership Application that designates you as personal representative, and present your photo ID and taxpayer identification number.
What it costs
Mountain America does not state the opening deposit, monthly fee, or fee-waiver balance for an estate account.
- Schedule that applies
- Fee Schedule on page 4 of the Truth in Savings / Share Rates disclosure, effective September 1, 2026, with the product disclosure the account is opened under
- Other charges
- Account closed within 180 days of opening $1; mailed paper statement $2
| Account | To open | Monthly fee | Waiver or condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| MyFree Checking | No minimum | No monthly service fee | |
| MyStyle Checking | No minimum | $7 | 20 debit and/or credit card purchases in the previous month, or average daily balance of $10,000 or more |
| Primary Savings | $1 | ||
| Business Essentials Checking | $5 | ||
| Business account | $100 |
What to know at Mountain America
Mountain America opens an estate account for a probate purpose under its Custodial and Other Fiduciary Accounts provision, and every account requires membership and a Savings Share. Debts the member owed come out of the deceased's accounts before anything reaches the estate; the pledge excludes a fiduciary account in which the member has no vested ownership interest.
Not in Mountain America'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 the estate's EIN is needed before opening
- Whether the deceased must have banked there
- Whether an out-of-state executor can open one
- Whether the death certificate must be a certified copy
- What proof of the EIN it accepts
- 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
Mountain America's published guidance does not state whether an estate account can be opened online. It states the account can be opened in a branch.
Mountain America asks for: Estate EIN; Government-issued photo ID for the personal representative, plus Social Security number or other TIN; Completed Membership Application with the fiduciary designated as such.
Mountain America does not state the opening deposit, monthly fee, or fee-waiver balance for an estate account. Mountain America's 5 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 Mountain America primary sources (8 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.
