If my mother recently passed, how do I close any accounts she may have in out of state?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
If my mother recently passed, how do I close any accounts she may have in out of state?
How do I close accounts for her in NY if I live in SC?
Asked on March 3, 2019 under Estate Planning, South Carolina
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 5 years ago | Contributor
You need to provide the bank (or broker or credit union, etc.) with a certified (official) copy of her death certificate and some authority from the court (such as what is commonly called a "letter testamentary") that you are the executor or personal representative of your mother's estate (i.e. the person legally empowered to take action in regard to her assets). With these, you can close the accounts. They bank should be willing to take these by mail or Fed Ex if you cannot get there in person, but call each bank to see what its procedures are and where to send the documents. You are advised to send them some way you track and prove delivery. You get the letter testamentary from probate court in the county where she lived, and again, should be able to do this by mail, but call the clerk's office to check.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.