How Do I Open an Estate Account at Northrim Bank?
Northrim 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 Northrim Bank
Where to open it
In a branch
How it opens
- In a branch
- Available
- Online
- Not available
Documents to bring
- Court order appointing the executor or administrator
- Name, address, date of birth, and a driver's license or other identifying documents for the fiduciary
- Taxpayer identification number for the account, certified as correct
Steps at Northrim Bank
- 1Visit a Northrim branch to open the account.
What it costs
Northrim Bank does not state the opening deposit, monthly fee, or fee-waiver balance for an estate account.
- Schedule that applies
- Not stated for estate accounts; Personal Fee Schedule and Truth In Savings Disclosure or Business Fee Schedule and Account Details, both Effective November 1, 2025
- Other charges
- Inactivity fee $7.50 each month with no activity; early account closure $25.00 if closed 90 days or less from opening
| Account | To open | Monthly fee | Waiver or condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flex Checking: Simple | $100 | $0 | |
| Flex Checking: Direct | $100 | $5 | Waived with a monthly direct deposit |
| Flex Checking: Power | $100 | $8 | Waived with daily min. balance of $1,000+ |
| Flex Checking: President's Club | $100 | $12 | daily min. balance of $6,000+ or a combined balance of $10,000+ in Personal Savings, Money Market, IRA, or CD accounts |
| Business checking | $100 | $5 if average daily collected balance falls below $2,500 | average daily collected balance of $2,500 |
| Easy Banking | $5.00 | $5 where no direct deposit is received or if the primary owner is not between the ages of 13-17 | |
| HSA | $25.00 |
What to know at Northrim Bank
Northrim's Personal Deposit Account Agreement lets executors and administrators under court orders open fiduciary accounts; Northrim takes no trustee role and no duty to monitor the letters. Northrim may refuse to open an account without the appropriate taxpayer identification number. An executor who certifies that one has been applied for is not subject to backup withholding unless no certified TIN arrives within 60 days.
Not in Northrim 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 17, 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Northrim Bank states an estate account cannot be opened online. It states the account can be opened in a branch.
Northrim Bank asks for: Court order appointing the executor or administrator; Name, address, date of birth, and a driver's license or other identifying documents for the fiduciary; Taxpayer identification number for the account, certified as correct.
Northrim Bank does not state the opening deposit, monthly fee, or fee-waiver balance for an estate account. Northrim Bank's 7 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 Northrim Bank primary sources (10 pages reviewed). How we research.
Is this your situation?
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
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?
Find out if you can handle probate yourself with estimated cost savings and a filing checklist.
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.
