How Do I Open an Estate Account at SouthState Bank?
SouthState Bank's estate-account opening requirements: where the account can be opened, the documents to bring, and the EIN requirement.
Opening an estate account at SouthState Bank
Account type: Estate Checking (interest-bearing, tiered rate)
Opening channels
- In a branch
- Available
- Online
- Not available
- By phone
- Not stated
- By mail
- Not stated
- Minimum deposit
- $50
Documents to bring
- Documentation of court appointment as the estate's representative -- eligibility is restricted to "a court appointed representative of an estate"; the disclosure does not enumerate specific documents (Letters Testamentary/of Administration are not named)
- Fiduciary capacity designated on the account signature card -- the deposit account agreement requires that any individual acting as a personal representative or in some other fiduciary capacity be designated as such on the signature card
What to know at SouthState Bank
SouthState offers a dedicated Estate Checking account, documented in the Important Account Information & Details booklet under Business Checking Accounts. Only a court-appointed representative of an estate can open it, and the account must be closed when the court enters an order closing the estate. $50 minimum deposit to open. $500 minimum balance requirement. $5 per monthly statement cycle maintenance charge, avoidable by maintaining a $500 minimum daily balance per monthly statement cycle. Interest-bearing with tiered rates (0.05% APY on balances under $50,000, rising to 0.15% APY at $200,000 and above, as printed in the booklet). Governed by the Business Deposit Account Agreement. SouthState publishes no step-by-step estate-account opening procedure, document checklist, appointment requirement, co-fiduciary rule, Letters recency window, or EIN timing rule; business-category accounts cannot be opened online, so opening runs through a branch. Questions: 1-800-277-2175.
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. SouthState Bank states an estate account cannot be opened online. Opening is done in person at a branch.
SouthState Bank asks for: Documentation of court appointment as the estate's representative -- eligibility is restricted to "a court appointed representative of an estate"; the disclosure does not enumerate specific documents (Letters Testamentary/of Administration are not named); Fiduciary capacity designated on the account signature card -- the deposit account agreement requires that any individual acting as a personal representative or in some other fiduciary capacity be designated as such on the signature card.
SouthState Bank's published guidance does not state a co-executor appearance rule. When more than one executor or administrator was appointed, confirm with SouthState 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.
Sources
Data sourced from SouthState Bank primary sources (4 pages reviewed). How we research.
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