Bank Accounts

Procedures for bank accounts following death vary regionally and bank to bank.  In some cases, bank accounts are automatically frozen after a death.  To avoid any complications, the bank should be notified immediately. The bank employees will guide you through the next steps from there. It’s recommended that a joint account stay open for at least six months to allow you to deposit any cheques that are made out to the deceased.  To take a name off a joint bank account, banks require a Funeral Director's Statement of Death.  If the deceased had a safety deposit box in a bank, the contents may be sealed after death and a Funeral Director's Statement of Death will be required to gain access to the contents.