You will need to fund the estate account with all of the deceased person’s accounts:

• Checking and savings accounts
• Investment accounts:
•  IRAs
• 401(k) plans
• Mutual funds
• Pensions, etc.

You will also need to transfer all of the funds besides “payable on death” and joint tenancy accounts to the estate account.

Here is the process:

1) Gather the needed information. You will need:

• Estate account details – account number and routing number
• A Certified copy of the death certificate
• Financial accounts records (e.g. bank account statements)
• Identification (e.g. driver’s license) of the person handling the accounts
• The will or letters Testamentary naming the executor (if it is not a joint or payable on death account)

2) Figure out which accounts you should transfer to where:

• Transfer “payable on death” accounts straight to the beneficiary
• Transfer “joint tenancy” accounts directly to the surviving joint owner
• For all other accounts, transfer them to the estate account

3) Contact all banks where the deceased had an account to report the death and initiate the transfers. Here are the phone numbers for many of the country’s largest banks:

• Bank of America: 1-888-689-4466/ https://www.bankofamerica.com/life-services/estate-services/
• BB&T: 1-800-226-5228
• Capital One – 1-800-655-2265/ https://www.capitalone.com/support-center/bank/how-do-i-settle-an-account
• Charles Schwab: 1-888-297-0244/ https://www.schwab.com/life-events/losing-a-loved-one
• Chase Bank: 1-866-926-6909/ www.chase.com/personal/estate-services
• Citi Bank: 1-888-248-4226
• Citi Investing: 1-877-357-3399
• Fidelity: 1-800-343-3548 or 1-800-972-2155/ https://digital.fidelity.com/prgw/digital/transitionservices/notify-of-death/start
• Merrill Edge: 1-800-637-7455
• Merrill Lynch: 1-888-637-3343
• Morgan Stanley: 1-888-454-3965
• PNC Financial Services: 1-888-PNC-BANK
• SunTrust Banks: 1-800-786-8787
• US Bancorp/US Bank: 1-800-872-2657/ www.usbank.com/splash/when-a-customer-passes-away.aspx
• Wells Fargo: 1-800-222-8222