Last verified 2026-08-17; facts checked against the primary sources below

Bank of America Estate Services: phone number, documents, and account closure

Q: What documents does Bank of America require to release the money?

What you need depends on how the account was owned ( Resource Guide ): Account situation What you need Joint account with right of survivorship The surviving owner keeps full ownership; the title is updated with a death certificate copy and an updated signature card Account with a named beneficiary (POD/TOD/ITF) Death certificate plus BofA's Letter of Instruction; funds pass directly to the beneficiary Solely owned, estate in probate Court-issued Letters Testamentary, Letters of Administration, or Certification of Appointment ; checks are made payable to the estate Solely owned, small estate (California) A small-estate affidavit "completed and in compliance with the laws of the state where they lived" — in California, the Probate Code § 13100 affidavit, usable 40 days after death when the countable estate is $208,850 or less for deaths on or after April 1, 2025 ( California courts ); checks are often issued to the affiant directly Many financial centers offer a free notary — useful, since several of BofA's estate forms need notarization. If formal probate is open, deposit money released to the estate into a separate California estate bank account rather than a personal account.

Q: How long does Bank of America take?

BofA commits to reviewing submitted documents within ten business days ( Resource Guide ), but publishes no overall settlement timeline: "the time it may take to settle an account will also vary." The common holdup is federal benefits. Social Security or VA payments that arrived after the death must be returned to the government, and no funds are disbursed until that reclamation review completes . Reconcile Social Security early. Other practical notes from BofA's documents: The deceased's Online Banking ID is closed once BofA has the death certificate. Joint owners need their own login. Safe deposit boxes are handled at the financial center that houses the box, and the release documents must match the state where the box physically sits — even if the person lived elsewhere. BofA collects a sole-owned credit card balance only from the estate, not from you personally. Unredeemed rewards can be claimed by the estate representative. Use the deceased credit-card checklist to preserve statements and request the date-of-death balance. A power of attorney ends at death. Get a final statement before closure — the estate's tax return will need it.

Last verified: August 17, 2026

The short answer: Bank of America Estate Services routes deceased-account cases to Estate Servicing Operations. Call 1-888-689-4466 (Monday–Friday, 9 AM–8 PM ET), start the case online at bankofamerica.com/estateservices, or visit a financial center. Have the deceased's full legal name and Social Security number ready. Bank of America may place holds on solely owned accounts, block cards, and cancel automatic payments after notice. A joint owner with survivorship keeps the account, a named beneficiary can claim the balance, and a solely owned account requires probate letters or a state small-estate affidavit.

What is the Bank of America Estate Services phone number?

Bank of America does not restrict who can report a death. Four ways (estate services, Estate Services Resource Guide):

Method	Details
Online	Start at bankofamerica.com/estateservices; BofA customers use Online Banking, non-customers enroll in the Third-Party Case Manager portal first
Phone	1-888-689-4466 (Estate Servicing Operations), Monday–Friday, 9 AM–8 PM ET
In person	Any financial center; schedule at bankofamerica.com/appointments
Mail	Bank of America — Estate Servicing Operations, PO Box 31655, Tampa, FL 33631-1655

Have ready: the deceased's full legal name and Social Security number, and the death certificate (the current Resource Guide asks for a certified copy; send copies of everything — originals cannot be returned). BofA issues a case reference number, and customers can track the case in Online Banking under Help & Support.

Know what happens the moment you notify. Per BofA's own guide: temporary holds go on individually owned accounts, debit and credit cards are closed or blocked, authorized users are removed, and automatic payments and transfers are cancelled (Resource Guide). List the essential autopays (property insurance, utilities) before you call, so you can move them.

Which Bank of America department handles each account?

Account type	Phone	Hours (ET)
Deposits, credit cards, general estate matters	1-888-689-4466	Mon–Fri 9 AM–8 PM
Home loans (successor in interest)	1-800-669-6607	Mon–Fri 8 AM–9 PM
Home equity	1-800-934-5626	Mon–Fri 8 AM–9 PM
Merrill investment accounts	1-866-848-6554	Mon–Fri 8 AM–8 PM
Private Bank	1-800-878-7878	Mon–Fri 8 AM–8 PM

Credit cards and auto loans route through the main Estate Servicing line — no separate estate numbers are published.

What documents does Bank of America require to release the money?

What you need depends on how the account was owned (Resource Guide):

Account situation	What you need
Joint account with right of survivorship	The surviving owner keeps full ownership; the title is updated with a death certificate copy and an updated signature card
Account with a named beneficiary (POD/TOD/ITF)	Death certificate plus BofA's Letter of Instruction; funds pass directly to the beneficiary
Solely owned, estate in probate	Court-issued Letters Testamentary, Letters of Administration, or Certification of Appointment; checks are made payable to the estate
Solely owned, small estate (California)	A small-estate affidavit "completed and in compliance with the laws of the state where they lived" — in California, the Probate Code § 13100 affidavit, usable 40 days after death when the countable estate is $208,850 or less for deaths on or after April 1, 2025 (California courts); checks are often issued to the affiant directly

Many financial centers offer a free notary — useful, since several of BofA's estate forms need notarization.

If formal probate is open, deposit money released to the estate into a separate California estate bank account rather than a personal account.

How do you open an estate account with Bank of America?

Bank of America says to make an appointment at a financial center and bring the probate document establishing the representative's authority plus the estate's Employer Identification Number. The required appointment paper may be Letters Testamentary, Letters of Administration, or another court-issued appointment document for the actual estate.

An estate account is different from the deceased person's frozen or closing account. Obtain the EIN for the estate, keep estate money separate from personal funds, and ask the financial center which additional identification, address, tax, and deposit documents it requires. See the California estate bank-account checklist for the preparation sequence.

How long does Bank of America take?

BofA commits to reviewing submitted documents within ten business days (Resource Guide), but publishes no overall settlement timeline: "the time it may take to settle an account will also vary."

The common holdup is federal benefits. Social Security or VA payments that arrived after the death must be returned to the government, and no funds are disbursed until that reclamation review completes. Reconcile Social Security early.

Other practical notes from BofA's documents:

The deceased's Online Banking ID is closed once BofA has the death certificate. Joint owners need their own login.
Safe deposit boxes are handled at the financial center that houses the box, and the release documents must match the state where the box physically sits — even if the person lived elsewhere.
BofA collects a sole-owned credit card balance only from the estate, not from you personally. Unredeemed rewards can be claimed by the estate representative. Use the deceased credit-card checklist to preserve statements and request the date-of-death balance.
A power of attorney ends at death.
Get a final statement before closure — the estate's tax return will need it.

The Estate Desk handles this for California families. theestatedesk.com

Bank of America Estate Services: phone number, documents, and account closure

What is the Bank of America Estate Services phone number?

Which Bank of America department handles each account?

What documents does Bank of America require to release the money?

How do you open an estate account with Bank of America?

How long does Bank of America take?

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