How Do I Open an Estate Account at M&T Bank?
M&T Bank 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 M&T Bank
Where to open it
In a branch
How it opens
- In a branch
- Available
- Online
- Not available
Documents to bring
- Legible copy of the death certificate with a visible seal
- Copy of the letters of testamentary/administration or similar document appointing an executor, with visible seal
Steps at M&T Bank
- 1Notify 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.
- 2Provide a legible copy of the death certificate and a copy of the letters of testamentary or administration appointing you, each with a visible seal.
- 3M&T assigns the estate a personal representative, notes who may speak for the estate, and gives you or the estate attorney the documentation needed to manage the estate, such as account balances.
- 4M&T then works with you to open estate accounts or disburse funds per your instructions.
What it costs
- Other waivers
- Fiduciary account balances are not included in Preferred Money Market relationship calculations; some trusts and estates are not eligible to upgrade to it
- Schedule that applies
- Not published; the Specific Features and Terms and the Additional Fees schedule are available on request at a branch or the Contact Center
- For estate accounts
- Preferred Money Market: "Accounts on which you are a fiduciary or agent (e.g., trustee, guardian, conservator, power of attorney, etc.) ... are not included in these calculations. Note that some fiduciary accounts such as trusts and estates are not eligible to upgrade to the M&T Preferred Money Market."
What to know at M&T Bank
M&T's Relationship Savings can be opened by individuals only.
Not in M&T Bank's published guidance
- Whether it can be opened 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 16, 2026
No. M&T Bank states an estate account cannot be opened online. It states the account can be opened in 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 appointing an executor, with visible seal.
Preferred Money Market: "Accounts on which you are a fiduciary or agent (e.g., trustee, guardian, conservator, power of attorney, etc.) ... are not included in these calculations. Note that some fiduciary accounts such as trusts and estates are not eligible to upgrade to the M&T Preferred Money Market.".
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 M&T Bank primary sources (10 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.
