How Do I Open an Estate Account at Zions Bank?
Zions 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 Zions Bank
Opening channels
- In a branch
- Not stated
- Online
- Not available
- By phone
- Not stated
- By mail
- Not stated
Documents to bring
- Written documentation establishing the fiduciary appointment (for an executor or administrator of an estate, the Letters issued by the probate court)
- Taxpayer identification number for the account -- the Deposit Account Agreement states the Bank must obtain and verify a TIN (SSN, ITIN, or EIN) when opening any account
What to know at Zions Bank
The Zions Bancorporation, N.A. Deposit Account Agreement (Effective July 2026, section VIII, Fiduciary Accounts) affirmatively names a personal representative or administrator of an estate among the fiduciaries who may open accounts in their fiduciary capacities, requiring written documentation establishing the appointment. The agreement covers all Zions Bancorporation division brands under the single national charter (Zions Bank, Amegy Bank, California Bank & Trust, National Bank of Arizona, Nevada State Bank, Vectra Bank Colorado, The Commerce Bank Northwest). By opening a fiduciary account, the fiduciary agrees the Bank assumes no fiduciary responsibilities and will not monitor the account for compliance with the underlying fiduciary arrangement. Zions Bank publishes no estate-account product page, and the deposit agreement is silent on opening channels. The online New Account Opening application (secureapps-b.zionsbank.com/newaccount) contains no fiduciary or estate ownership path -- its application config supports individual and joint consumer applicants and business entities only -- so estate accounts cannot be opened through the online application. No stated minimum deposit, appointment requirement, co-fiduciary rule, or Letters recency window for estate accounts. General customer service: 1-888-307-3411; Zions Wealth fiduciary services (including executor and co-executor estate administration): 1-888-673-3380.
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. Zions Bank states an estate account cannot be opened online.
Zions Bank asks for: Written documentation establishing the fiduciary appointment (for an executor or administrator of an estate, the Letters issued by the probate court); Taxpayer identification number for the account -- the Deposit Account Agreement states the Bank must obtain and verify a TIN (SSN, ITIN, or EIN) when opening any account.
Zions Bank's published guidance does not state a co-executor appearance rule. When more than one executor or administrator was appointed, confirm with Zions 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 Zions Bank primary sources (3 pages reviewed). How we research.
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