Estate Services

Knowing where to begin when handling someone else’s financial affairs can be overwhelming. Rest assured; our team is here to help guide you with the knowledge and tools necessary to make informed financial decisions.

Steps to take when a loved one passes away

Knowing where to begin when handling someone else’s financial affairs can be overwhelming.

We're here to support you

We’re here to support you and help you make financial decisions during a difficult time.

While each situation is different, there are steps to take when a loved one passes away. To get started, you'll need to notify us of your loved one's passing by phone, online chat or by visiting your local financial center.

[words animate] Notify Bank of America

We’ll ask you for the person's full legal name and Social Security number to identify their accounts.

We'll determine your role

We’ll also determine your role with the estate, update your contact information and provide a case reference number.

We'll take action to protect your loved one's assets

After we’ve received notification, we'll take action to protect your loved one's assets with the bank.

[words animate] Placing balances on hold

Credit card accounts

Debit/ATM Deposit accounts

Removing authorized users

That includes placing balances on hold on sole-owned accounts and closing or blocking credit card accounts, debit/ATM and removing authorized users

Then, we'll conduct a detailed review of the deceased's banking relationship to accurately assess what documents or action steps are needed to transition the accounts.

[words animate] What we'll need from you

Death certificate photocopy

Verify legal residence

We'll need a photocopy of the death certificate to verify the identity and legal residence of your loved one as well as confirm date of death. Depending on the type of account and state of residence, we may request additional documents for specific circumstances.

If the person was receiving federal benefit payments to their account, such as Social Security payments, the account is subject to a reclamation review for paid federal benefits after date of death.

These funds may be required to be returned to the issuing federal agency before any funds may be disbursed and/or deposit accounts can be closed.

We’ll communicate and work with you on what’s needed for handling our deceased client's specific banking relationship.

Based on the complexity of the case, a case manager may contact you directly.

We'll gather any documents needed

From there, we'll gather any documentation needed, make account changes and complete a funds disbursement.

[words animate] Convenient ways to submit your documents

You can submit documents to us in one of the following ways: Upload Online, email or fax us or bring them into any financial center.

We encourage you to contact us to discuss any specific case requirements and answer any questions throughout the transition.

[words animate] We encourage you to contact us

We're here for you when you're ready to get started.

Check out our Client Resource Guide

Check out our Client Resource Guide for additional information to consider, things to know and reference materials.

When you're ready, we're here to help

Bank of America logo

Getting started

While each situation is unique, here are the general steps you can take to make changes on an account of someone who passes away.
When you're ready, here's how to get started.

Determine your role. If you’ve been named a personal representative or trustee, you will need to follow the terms of the will or trust agreement. For more information about Estate roles and responsibilities, take a look at Useful terms and definitions.

Order death certificate. The death certificate gives us the information needed to verify the identity and legal residence of our customer. A certified copy of the death certificate is generally available from the funeral director who handled the deceased’s funeral arrangements, as well as from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages in the applicable state/county/parish/territory.

We’ll ask you for the deceased customer’s full legal name and Social Security number to identify their accounts. We’ll also determine your role with the estate, update your contact information and provide a case reference number.

Bank of America accounts. Visit your local financial center or contact Estate Servicing Operations to speak with our dedicated team.
888-689-4466 M-F 9–8pm EST

Wealth Management accounts. Contact us directly to speak with our customer’s private client advisor and/or financial advisor.

• Bank of America Private Bank accounts: M-F 8-8pm EST, 800-878-7878
• Merrill accounts: M-F 8-8pm EST, 866-848-6554

Tip: If you’d prefer to notify us at one of our financial centers, please schedule an appointment via the Bank of America Mobile Banking app or online.

After we’ve received notification, we conduct a detailed review of our customer’s banking relationship and take action to help protect their assets with the bank.

Helping to protect our customer’s assets. Typically, these actions are taken prior to receiving any documentation and include, but are not limited to:

• Placing balance holds on sole-owned account(s)
• Closing debit/ATM and/or blocking credit card(s), including removing Authorized Users
• Canceling standing instructions such as automatic transfers, autopay and recurring transactions, when applicable
• Suspending applicable fees and charges
• Suspending Online and Mobile Banking user ID and Telephone Banking, including Bill Pay

Federal benefit payments. Any government benefits for the deceased, such as Social Security, will stop and/or be returned to the government.

Review the customer’s account and relationship to determine specific estate needs. We’ll conduct a detailed review to accurately assess what documents or action steps are needed to transition the accounts.

Tip: In certain scenarios, at the request of the surviving co-owner, we can recover Bill Pay information and transfer it to a different online ID. This must be requested and will not be completed automatically, and will be subject to review and approval.

Here are the required documents we'll need. Other documents may be required under specific circumstances.

Tip: To process your documentation as quickly as possible, make sure you have accurate and complete information, and that all paperwork is legible.

Photocopy of the death certificate. The death certificate gives us the information needed to verify the identity and legal residence of our customer as well as confirm the date of death.

Other legal documents. We may require additional documents such as a last will and testament, formal trust, birth or marriage certificate, or proof of legal name change.

Additional documents required by state law. These are used to confirm the identity of the party/parties who have authority to handle the estate.

• For formal probate: Court-issued Letters of Testamentary, Letters of Administration or Certification of Appointment (among others), appointing an executor, personal representative or administrator. These documents are issued by the court when formal probate of an estate is required under applicable state law. You can begin this process at the county probate court where the decedent resided at the time of passing.
• For small estates: A properly executed small estate affidavit, in accordance with state laws where decedent was a resident. Keep in mind that some states only require a notarized small estate affidavit while other states require the affidavit be filed with the court. The requirements and availability of this process vary from state to state. If you require this, Bank of America Estate Services can send you a small estate affidavit for your review/completion.

Tip: Consider seeking legal advice from an estate planning attorney to guide you through the estate settlement process and help you determine if a last will and testament needs to be probated. Certain states require a waiting period after the date of death prior to executing a small estate affidavit.

Banks forms we will provide you, if necessary:

• Notarized Letter of Instruction is completed by the entitled party (executor or person handling the decedent’s affairs) and provides instruction on where the disbursed funds should be sent or transferred.
• Signature Cards(s) is completed by the surviving owner(s) of a joint checking or savings account to update account signers.
• Notarized Beneficiary Letter of Instruction is completed by the named beneficiary(s) listed on an account and provides instruction on where the disbursed funds should be sent or transferred.
• Beneficiary Addendum is to be completed by the account owner stating what party(s) are to receive the funds in the event the owner dies.
• New Owner/Signer Application is needed if you elect to add a new owner to the account during title maintenance.
• Potential Successor in Interest Package. If you have a vested ownership interest in a property because the borrower passed away, you may qualify as a successor in interest. In order to confirm your status and access information about the home loan, you will need to complete and return the Request Form for Successor in Interest, along with the applicable documentation, to the Name and Title Change Unit. You can find this form as well as additional information about becoming an SII in the Potential Successor in Interest Package.

Tip: Notary services are available at no cost in many of our financial centers. Schedule an appointment to ensure a notary is available to assist you when you visit the financial center. Here’s some helpful tips:

• Don’t sign or date documents (some documents must be signed and dated in the presence of a notary).
• Have all the pages of the document(s) being signed, not just the signature page.
• Make sure all document signers have state-acceptable ID. Click here to learn more about notarization requirements.

Existing Bank of America customers can access account information by logging in to Online Banking.

• Upload documents to Estate Services online
• Fax them to 866-694-9046
• Bring them into your local financial center
• Mail them to:
  Bank of America, Estate Servicing Operations
  PO Box 31655
  Tampa, FL 33631-1655

Your privacy is very important to us. We strongly encourage you to use Bank of America Estate Services online to securely upload documents that may contain personal information.

Contact the Estate Servicing team at 888-689-4466 to activate the Estate Services online capability if not yet active.

• Authorized third parties and non-customers can access the Third-Party Case Manager.

Tip: We accept documents in the following formats: PDF, BMP, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, JPG, or PNG. We do not accept GIF or HEIF files.

Get additional information on account ownership, specific product teams and contact information.

This step-by-step guide will walk you through the case management tabs and tools available to you online.

Additional information to consider

Below you’ll find common questions and other factors impacting an estate settlement. Keep in mind that the answers can vary based on the state of residence of the deceased.

How are accounts managed after an account owner passes away?
The action taken will vary based on the way the account is owned. For more information please download the Client Resource Guide.

How long will it take for funds to be released?
Because the specifics of each account are different, the time it may take to settle an account will also vary. In general, we begin to process a request as soon as we receive the necessary documents.

Can I send a photocopy of the death certificate?
You can send a legible photocopy; however, depending on the circumstances, we may require a certified copy.

Who are the funds payable to?
This will vary based on several factors. But, in general, the following payout criteria applies to a single account owner:

• If beneficiaries are named, funds will be made payable to the named beneficiaries on the account(s).
• If probate documents are presented, checks are made payable to the “Estate of” the deceased customer.
• If small estate documents are presented, checks are often issued in the name of the affiant or claimant.

How do I open an estate account?

Just make an appointment at your local financial center and an associate will be happy to assist you. You’ll need to provide your probate document and the EIN number to establish the account.

These items may take additional time to resolve and/or require more documentation.

Federal benefit payments. If a deceased customer was receiving federal benefit payments to their account, the account is subject to a reclamation review for paid federal benefits after date of death. These funds may be required to be returned to the issuing federal agency before any funds may be disbursed and/or deposit accounts can be closed.

The bank adheres to the reclamations process guidelines outlined by the U.S. Treasury Green Book and Gold Book when handling federal benefit payments.

• Social Security Administration: 800-772-1213
• Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS): 888-332-7411
• U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs/Cemetery Administration: 800-827-1000
• Office of Personnel Management: 202-606-1800
• Railroad Retirement Board (RRB): 877-772-5772

Tip: We do not proactively return non-government pension deposits. A request from the pension company and permission from the person handling the affairs must be provided in order for us to return the non-government pension.

New Jersey taxation requirements. Taxation documents are required for any maintenance on accounts opened in financial centers in the state of New Jersey or if the customer is a resident of the state of New Jersey. A 50% date of death balance hold will be placed on joint owned accounts at the time of notification. For more information, please contact a tax professional or the New Jersey Division of Taxation at 609-292-5033.

State court filing requirements

• Texas: Documents presented to collect funds on a sole owner account where the decedent was a resident of Texas must be court filed and accompanied by an order signed by a judge in a court of law.
• Florida: Documents presented to collect funds of a sole owner account where the decedent was a resident of Florida must be issued by a probate court except for certain low dollar balances. Court-issued Letter of Administration, Letter of Testamentary or Order for Summary Administration are examples of documents required.
• Other States: Some states may also require court filing depending on the type of estate. Please contact the local county probate court based on where the decedent resided or a legal advisor for further information.

Death in a foreign country or territory

• Decedents who were residents of a foreign country that is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention must provide a copy of the local death certificate issued in the country where the death occurred, and an English translation of the death certificate accompanied by an apostille certifying the authenticity of the death certificate.
• Decedents who were residents of a foreign country that is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention must provide a copy of the local death certificate issued in the country where the death occurred and an English translation of the death certificate.
• Decedents who were residents of the U.S. but passed away in a foreign country must provide a Consular Report of Death of an American Citizen Abroad from the U.S. consulate or embassy where the death occurred.
• U.S. court-issued documentation is required to collect funds. Foreign country estate documentation will not be accepted for distribution of funds.

This responsibility and experience may be a first for many. Review the following terms for a more thorough understanding of the processes explained throughout this guide.

Apostille: A certificate that authenticates the signature of a public official on a document for use in another country.

EIN number: Employer Identification Number issued by the IRS, commonly used by employers to report taxes.

Estate: The assets and liabilities left by the decedent.

Fiduciary: A person who has been entrusted with the responsibility to manage the assets or rights of another person. May be referred to as a guardian, conservator, executor or administrator, trustee, representative payee, custodian or, in some cases, an attorney-In-fact (agent).

Last will and testament: A legal document in which a person includes instructions for the distribution of his or her property and possessions after death.

Letters of administration: Court documents obtained by the person or corporation appointed by a court to settle the estate of a deceased person if no valid will can be found or if there is a will and the named fiduciary does not serve.

Letter of instruction: A document completed and signed by the beneficiary, successor, affiant or court-appointed representative of the estate providing specific instructions on how to disburse the remaining money in any accounts.

Letter Testamentary: Court documents obtained by the executor/executrix confirming his or her appointment as the personal representative with authority to settle an estate.

Power of Attorney: A legal document that designates another to act on behalf of the account owner (the principal) and is valid only during that account owner’s lifetime. The power to act ends with the account owner’s death.

Probate: The legal process of collecting the assets of a deceased person to pay any liabilities remaining on the person’s estate, then distributing the remaining assets according to the will, or state law if no will exists.

Residence: Official place of residence (based on what state of residence is listed on the death certificate).

Small estate affadivit: In some states, based on the size of the estate, this legal document can be used to claim or disburse assets without having to go through formal probate. The threshold for what meets the “small estate” guideline and who qualifies to use this process varies from state to state.

Successor in interest: Person who indicates they have interest or rights to property under a mortgage with Bank of America.

U.S. Treasury Gold Book: A guide issued by the U.S. Treasury to govern check reclamation. Check reclamation is a recovery procedure used by the Bureau of the Fiscal Service to obtain refunds (reclamations) from a presenting financial institution for paid U.S. Treasury checks.

U.S. Treasury Green Book: The Green Book is a comprehensive guide for financial institutions that receive ACH payments from and send payments (i.e., collections) to the federal government.

Estate roles and responsibilities

Administrator: The person or corporation appointed by a court to settle the estate of a deceased person if no valid will can be found or if there is a will and the named fiduciary does not serve.

Authorized User: A person who has been authorized by the account owner to use the credit card account but is not liable for the transactions made using the account.

Beneficiary: Person or persons who receive the assets of an estate after all debts are satisfied. Also, a person named in an informal trust as In Trust For (ITF) or Payable on Death (POD) beneficiary on bank records.

Executor/executrix: Person or corporation named in the decedent’s will to settle the estate and approved by the court to serve as such.

Personal representative: The person or corporation appointed by a court to settle the estate of a deceased person if no valid will can be found or if there is a will and the named fiduciary does not serve.

Successor trustee: An individual person or member of a board given control or powers of administration of property in trust once the current trustee(s) can no longer serve with legal obligation to administer it solely for the purposes specified.

Trustee: An individual person or member of a board given control or powers of administration of property in trust with legal obligation to administer it solely for the purposes specified.