Contact the bank in advance to ensure you arrive with the appropriate documents, but you'll likely need to bring a notarized or certified copy of the death certificate and proof of your identity, such as a driver's license or passport. You'll also need the decedent's legal name and Social Security number.
The best banks to open an estate account Schwab One Estate Account. Fidelity Estate Account. Estate Services. USAA Survivor Relations.
DEATH OF AN ACCOUNT OWNER (12 C.F.R. § 330.3(j)) To ensure that families dealing with the death of a family member have adequate time to review and restructure their accounts if necessary, the FDIC will insure the deceased owner's accounts as if he or she were still alive for six months after his or her death.
If you are the executor or administrator of a deceased person's estate and you need to access their bank account, you may need to provide the bank with: The death certificate of the account holder. A copy of the Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration. Your government-issued identification.