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How to close or access someone's bank accounts after they die

When a bank is told someone has died, it freezes any account in their sole name. The money still belongs to the estate, and it's paid out to the executor once the bank has the right paperwork. Banks that follow the Banking Code of Practice have specific obligations to the executor during this process, and most families don't know about them.

Last changed: 19 October 2026

Step 1: Notify each bank

• Use the free Australian Death Notification Service to notify several banks at once, or call each bank's deceased estates team, not a branch.
• Look for every bank they used: statements, cards in their wallet, banking apps, and transfers between accounts.

Once notified, the bank secures sole-name accounts by removing online banking access and restricting debit transactions. That can stop direct debits, so immediately redirect anything critical, such as home and contents insurance, council rates and utilities, so cover on the house doesn't lapse.

Want this done for you? See the Guided Inventory ↓

Step 2: Know the executor's rights

Part B8 of the 2025 Banking Code of Practice sets out what a subscribing bank must do. (Banking Code of Practice 2025)

• Secure the accounts and stop fees: promptly secure sole-name accounts, stop charging fees for services that can no longer be provided, and refund any such fees charged since the death (clauses 135–136).
• Recognise the executor: on proof of ID plus a verified copy of the will. Without a will, next of kin can be recognised with a verified death certificate naming them (clause 137).
• Act within 14 business days of receiving a valid instruction and verified documents (clauses 138 and 143).
• Help before probate: even without a grant, the bank must act on instructions to provide full account information, accept payments towards debts owed to it, and release funds to pay or reimburse permissible expenses, such as funeral costs and probate filing fees, on proof of invoice or receipt (clause 139).
• Joint accounts: a surviving joint holder can keep operating the account under its terms (clause 145).

Banks have been sanctioned for breaking these rules. The Banking Code Compliance Committee has publicly named ANZ for failing to stop or refund fees on deceased estates and for not responding to estate representatives within the Code's deadline. (Banking Code Compliance Committee)

Step 3: Pay the funeral

You usually don't need to wait for probate to pay for the funeral. Most banks will pay the funeral director's invoice directly from the frozen account, or reimburse you if you've already paid, on presentation of the itemised invoice. (ANZ) Costs such as the wake and catering are generally not covered.

Step 4: Do you need probate?

There's no single legal threshold. Each bank sets its own limit for releasing a balance without a grant of probate or letters of administration, and limits vary. IMB Bank, for example, may release up to $15,000 without a grant; other banks set different limits. (IMB Bank) Ask the deceased estates team: "What is your threshold for releasing funds without probate, and what forms do you need?"

A warning about releases without probate: the bank will usually ask the person receiving the money to sign an indemnity. If someone later challenges the will, or an unknown creditor appears, that person can be personally liable. For larger estates, blended families or any hint of a dispute, getting probate first protects the executor.

Step 5: Move the money into an estate account

Banks pay estate funds to an account in the estate's name ("Estate of the late…"), not to anyone's personal account. (Bank Australia) The executor can open one at the deceased's bank or any bank that offers them. Never mix estate money with your own.

Joint accounts, cards and loans

• Joint accounts usually pass straight to the surviving holder and stay open. The bank removes the deceased's name once it sees the death certificate.
• Credit cards and personal loans in the deceased's sole name are paid from the estate. Family members aren't personally liable unless they were a joint borrower or guarantor.
• Mortgages: contact the lender early. Most have hardship and bereavement teams that can pause repayments while the estate is sorted out.

If the bank is slow

Put your request in writing, note the date you provided documents, and cite the Banking Code's deceased estate obligations. If that doesn't work, complain to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA). It's free.

What you'll usually need

• Death certificate (certified copy)
• The will, or grant of probate or letters of administration above the bank's threshold
• Executor's ID
• The bank's own claim or release forms
• Funeral invoice, if asking for it to be paid

This guide is general information only, not legal, financial or tax advice. Providers change their processes, so always confirm the current steps on the linked official page. For advice on a specific estate, speak with a solicitor, accountant or licensed financial adviser.