How Do I Open an Estate Account at M&T Bank?

M&T Bank's estate-account opening requirements: where the account can be opened, the documents to bring, and the EIN requirement.

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Opening an estate account at M&T Bank

Where to open it

In a branch

Opening channels

In a branch: Available
Online: Not available
By phone: Not stated
By mail: Not stated
Appointment: Not stated
Co-executors: Not stated

Documents to bring

Legible copy of the death certificate with a visible seal
Copy of the letters of testamentary/administration or similar document(s) appointing an executor of the estate, with visible seal

Steps at M&T Bank

1
Notify M&T Estate Services of the death: call 1-855-350-7272 (Option 2), email EstateServices@mtb.com, fax 716-274-1087, mail P.O. Box 1850, Buffalo, NY 14240, or visit a local branch
2
Provide a legible copy of the death certificate with a visible seal and a copy of the letters of testamentary/administration or similar document(s) appointing an executor, with visible seal
3
M&T assigns the estate a personal representative and provides you and/or the estate attorney with the documentation needed to manage the estate, such as account balances
4
M&T works with you to open estate accounts or disburse funds per your instructions

What to know at M&T Bank

M&T documents estate-account opening only as a line item in its Estate Services process — "Work with you to open estate accounts or disburse funds per your instructions" — with no standalone opening procedure, no named estate account product, no minimum opening deposit, no EIN requirement, no Letters recency window, no co-fiduciary presence rule, and no estimated opening time published anywhere found (sweep of mtb.com verified 2026-07-16). The practical route the sources support: open the estate file with Estate Services (death certificate + Letters), then work through the assigned personal representative; the account itself is branch paperwork, since M&T's Online Account Opening FAQ limits online opening to personal checking and savings accounts and sends every other account type to a branch or Telephone Banking. Because M&T does not publish its General Deposit Account Agreement on the public web, any fiduciary-account terms that would govern the estate account are also not publicly documented — confirm specifics with Estate Services at 1-855-350-7272 (Option 2).

Estate services: 1-855-350-7272 (Option 2)View M&T Bank's guidance

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. M&T Bank states an estate account cannot be opened online. Opening is done in person at a branch.

M&T Bank asks for: Legible copy of the death certificate with a visible seal; Copy of the letters of testamentary/administration or similar document(s) appointing an executor of the estate, with visible seal.

M&T Bank's published guidance does not state a co-executor appearance rule. When more than one executor or administrator was appointed, confirm with M&T Bank 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.