Losing someone close to you is hard. Amid all the paperwork, it is easy to forget about the bank account they left behind. Yet this is one of the first things a family usually has to sort out. The good news: the whole process is simpler than it looks, once you know where to start.
What happens to the account in the first days
A bank does not find out about a customer's death on its own. Until someone tells the bank, the account keeps working exactly as before — it can still be accessed through the app, and the card linked to it technically still works.
This is a trap, though. Legally, the account already forms part of the estate — the whole property a person leaves behind, which passes to their relatives by law or by will. Using that money without the right documents, even if you know the card's PIN, can create a serious legal problem later.
One thing worth remembering: if the person who died had given someone power of attorney — the right to act on the account on their behalf — that power of attorney ends automatically at the moment of death. The person holding it can no longer withdraw money from the account, even if they had been doing so without issue before.
How to notify the bank of a death
You can usually notify the bank in person at a branch, sometimes by phone, or through a form on the bank's website — it is worth checking the specific bank's website for the exact option. You will usually need:
- A death certificate — the official document confirming that the person has died.
- A form of identification for the person reporting the death (for example, an ID card).
- Proof of your relationship to the person who died, if the bank asks for it (for example, a marriage certificate).
Once notified, the bank freezes free use of the account — the card and app access stop working. This is not a punishment for the family. It protects the money until the law clearly decides who inherits it, and how much.
One thing families often do not know: even before the inheritance process is finished, a bank can release money from the account to cover funeral costs, paying it to whoever covered those costs and can show receipts for them. This is one of the few exceptions to the general freeze.
Who can access the money, and when
Who inherits the money depends on whether the person left a will — a document in which they decided themselves who gets their belongings — or not. Without a will, the law decides who inherits, usually the closest relatives: a spouse, children, parents.
For the bank to recognise someone as an heir and release money to them, one of two documents is usually needed:
- A court ruling confirming the inheritance — issued by a court, formally stating who inherits and how much.
- A notarial deed of succession — a similar document issued by a notary, usually faster than going through court.
Only with one of these documents in hand can an heir go to the bank and collect their share of the money. Sometimes the account has to be closed, and the money transferred to the heir's own account. If someone in the family does not yet have their own personal account, this can be a good moment to open one — you can read more about choosing an account at /en/best/personal-accounts.
It also helps to know this: some accounts let the owner set up a so-called payable-on-death instruction while they are still alive. This is a declaration made in advance, telling the bank who should receive a certain amount of money right after the owner's death, without waiting for the inheritance process. It only covers a limited amount, though, and it has to be set up in advance — it cannot be arranged after death.
Common mistakes worth avoiding
The first common mistake is using the deceased person's card to withdraw money quickly for everyday needs, before the matter reaches the bank. Even with good intentions — say, to pay the rent — this means using money that, legally, is already frozen and belongs to someone else. It can create legal trouble for the heirs.
The second mistake is waiting too long to notify the bank. Some charges and obligations on the account, such as subscriptions that renew automatically, may keep being taken out if no one tells the bank what happened.
The third mistake is being afraid to call the bank because "it feels like an awkward topic." Bank staff deal with this regularly and know how to guide a family through it gently and efficiently. There is no need to feel embarrassed or nervous about it — it is an ordinary, if sad, formality.
One last warning: watch out for scammers. Sometimes, exactly at moments like this, calls or emails appear from someone claiming to be "from the bank," asking for a card number, an SMS code, or an app password to "sort out matters for the deceased." A real bank never asks for this kind of information by phone or email. If this happens, the safest thing is to hang up and call the bank back yourself, using the number printed on the deceased person's card or shown on their old bank documents.