How Do I Open an Estate Account at Westamerica Bank?
Westamerica Bank 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 Westamerica Bank
Where to open it
Not published by Westamerica Bank
How it opens
- Online
- Not available
Documents to bring
- Driver's license or other identifying documents for the fiduciary
- Tax identification number (TIN) for the account
- Valid documentation of court orders, if asked
What it costs
Westamerica 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; candidates: Personal Schedule of Fees and Charges and the Business Schedule
- Other charges
- $4.00 each statement cycle (each quarter on Regular Savings) when the account is not enrolled in eStatements
| Account | To open | Monthly fee | Waiver or condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value Checking | $100.00 | $4.00, plus $4.00 per cycle without a qualifying direct deposit and $4.00 per cycle with fewer than five ATM/debit purchases | minimum daily balance $1,500 or average daily balance $3,000 |
| Interest Checking (Personal) | $200.00 | $14.00 | $2,500 minimum daily or $5,000 average daily |
| Signature Account | $200.00 | $22.00 | $5,000 combined with one linked savings or Money Market Savings, or $10,000 in one linked non-IRA CD |
| Premier Plus | $100.00 (age 50 or better) | $8.00 membership dues | |
| Regular Savings (Personal) | $100.00 | $5.00 | $500 average daily |
| Money Market Savings (Personal) | $1,000.00 | $10.00 | $2,500 every day |
| Regular Checking (Business) | $200.00 | $15.00 | $4,000 daily or $7,000 average daily |
| Interest Checking (Business) | $200.00 | $16.00 | $5,000 daily or $10,000 average daily |
| Business Star | $200.00 | $22.00 maintenance charge | $10,000 average in an eligible checking or $30,000 across up to five eligible accounts |
| Account Analysis | $200.00 | $22.00 | |
| Select Checking | $200.00 | No monthly service charge (per-item and activity fees apply) | |
| Regular Savings (Business) | $100.00 | $5.00 | $500 |
| Money Market Savings (Business) | $1,000.00 | $10.00 | $2,500 |
What to know at Westamerica Bank
Westamerica's Deposit Agreement names executors and administrators as fiduciary title holders, and its definitions count executors, administrators and conservators acting under letters of administration as account owners. Westamerica's website offers no online application for any deposit account; its only online application is for credit cards.
Not in Westamerica Bank's published guidance
- Whether it can be opened in a branch, by phone, or by mail
- 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
- 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
No. Westamerica Bank states an estate account cannot be opened online.
Westamerica Bank asks for: Driver's license or other identifying documents for the fiduciary; Tax identification number (TIN) for the account; Valid documentation of court orders, if asked.
Westamerica Bank does not state the opening deposit, monthly fee, or fee-waiver balance for an estate account. Westamerica Bank's 13 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 Westamerica Bank primary sources (5 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.
