How Do I Open an Estate Account at Wells Fargo?
Wells Fargo opens estate accounts for a court-appointed executor or administrator. The documents it asks for, what the account costs, and the steps it lists are below.
Opening an estate account at Wells Fargo
Where to open it
Not published by Wells Fargo
Documents to bring
- Original or certified copy of appointment papers (Letters Testamentary, probate court documents, domiciliary letters, Letters of Appointment, Letters of General or Special Administration, or NJ Affidavit of surviving spouse)
- Any additional court-issued documents or letters testamentary, such as probate court letters
- Employer Identification Number (EIN) issued for the estate
Steps at Wells Fargo
- 1Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) for the estate from the IRS.
- 2Gather the original or a certified copy of your appointment papers, such as Letters Testamentary, Letters of General or Special Administration, or equivalent court-issued documents.
- 3Present the appointment papers and the estate's EIN to Wells Fargo; its Estate Care Center, at 1-888-790-7980, handles estate matters.
What it costs
- Schedule that applies
- Not stated; an estate account appears in neither the Consumer nor the Business Account Fee and Information Schedule; unlisted types are directed to a banker
What to know at Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo's list of what it needs to open an estate account does not include a death certificate. It requires a certified death certificate to process the deceased customer's existing accounts.
Not in Wells Fargo's published guidance
- Whether a branch appointment is needed
- Whether every co-executor must sign or appear
- 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 23, 2026
Wells Fargo's published guidance does not state whether an estate account can be opened online.
Wells Fargo asks for: Original or certified copy of appointment papers (Letters Testamentary, probate court documents, domiciliary letters, Letters of Appointment, Letters of General or Special Administration, or NJ Affidavit of surviving spouse); Any additional court-issued documents or letters testamentary, such as probate court letters; Employer Identification Number (EIN) issued for the estate.
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 Wells Fargo primary sources (3 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.
