Guide · US edition · Updated 2026-10-29

How to Close a Deceased Person's Bank Accounts, Cards and Subscriptions

Closing someone's accounts after they die is rarely one phone call. It is dozens: banks, cards, utilities, streaming services, memberships, social media. Done in the wrong order, it can break autopays you still need. Done in the right order, it is tedious but manageable.

Step 1: Find every account first

Before you close anything, build a list. Good places to look:

• Mail (forward it to the executor; statements arrive monthly)
• Bank and credit card statements for the last 12 months. Recurring charges reveal subscriptions and memberships.
• Email inbox, especially receipts, renewal notices and "your statement is ready" messages
• Tax returns, which list interest and dividend accounts (Forms 1099)
• Their wallet, desk, filing cabinet and phone apps
• A credit report, which lists open credit accounts. The executor can request one from the credit bureaus with a death certificate and proof of authority.

Write each account down with the institution, account type, approximate balance, and whether it has autopays.

Step 2: Map the autopays

Mark everything that is paid automatically: mortgage, home and car insurance, utilities, property taxes. These keep the estate's assets safe. Move them to the estate account (or pay them manually) before closing the account they come from.

Step 3: Understand who owns each account now

Not every account becomes part of the estate:

• Joint accounts with right of survivorship usually pass directly to the surviving owner. They will normally need to show a death certificate to remove the deceased person's name.
• Payable-on-death (POD) or transfer-on-death (TOD) accounts go to the named beneficiary, who claims them directly with a death certificate and ID.
• Accounts in the person's name only become part of the estate and are handled by the executor once appointed.
• Retirement accounts and life insurance usually go to the named beneficiaries.

Step 4: Gather the documents

Most banks and card issuers ask for:

• A certified death certificate
• Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (proof you are the executor or administrator), or a small estate affidavit where your state allows it
• Your photo ID
• Sometimes the estate EIN and an estate bank account to receive the funds

Without proof of authority, a bank can usually only freeze an account and talk to you in general terms.

Step 5: Contact each bank's bereavement team

Most large banks have a dedicated bereavement or estate services department. Ask for it by name; it saves time. Ask:

1. Which documents do you need, and can I upload them or must I mail originals?
2. Will you return the certified death certificate?
3. Are there any automatic payments or deposits on this account?
4. Is there a named beneficiary (POD) on the account?
5. How will the balance be paid out, and to whom?

Follow up in writing and keep copies. Log every call: date, name, reference number.

Step 6: Credit cards

Notify each card issuer, ask them to close the account and note "deceased" on the file. Ask for a final statement. Remember: authorized users are generally not responsible for the balance, and the estate (not the family) pays valid card debts. Do not use the card after the death, even for household bills.

Step 7: Utilities and household services

Do not cut off electricity, heat, water or home insurance while the home is still part of the estate. Instead, transfer the accounts to the executor's name or the person who will keep the home. Cancel extras like premium TV packages early.

Step 8: Subscriptions and memberships

Go through 12 months of card and bank statements and list every recurring charge: streaming, music, news, cloud storage, meal kits, gyms, clubs, software, app store subscriptions. Cancel each one, ask for a refund of any period after the date of death (many companies will), and note the confirmation number.

If a charge keeps appearing, the card issuer can usually block it once the account is reported as deceased.

Step 9: Digital accounts

• Email: download important documents and photos first. Many accounts are needed to reset passwords for others.
• Facebook and Instagram: can be memorialized or removed at a family member's request.
• Google: has an Inactive Account Manager and a process for family requests.
• Apple: supports Legacy Contacts; otherwise a court order may be needed.
• Phone line: cancel last, after two-factor codes have been moved.

Step 10: Government and identity

• Confirm Social Security was notified (1-800-772-1213).
• Notify the three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) to place a deceased alert.
• Cancel the driver's license, return any passport and update voter registration as your state requires.

See also: what not to do when someone dies and the full executor checklist.

Save time with ready-made letters

Writing the same notification letter thirty times is exhausting. The After-Loss Admin Kit includes 12 fill-in-the-blank letter templates (bank, credit card issuer, credit bureaus, utilities, subscriptions, insurers, employer, creditors, pension, landlord, social media and a general notice), a who-to-notify list of 36 organizations, and an estate tracker that shows which subscriptions are still billing.

Just getting started? Download the free First 48 Hours Checklist.

This article is general information for the United States, not legal, tax or financial advice. Bank policies and state laws vary.

More guides

• Who to Call When Someone Dies: The First 24 to 48 Hours, In Order
• What Not to Do When Someone Dies: 10 Mistakes Families Regret
• How Many Death Certificates Do You Need? (And Who Will Ask for One)
• Executor Checklist: What an Executor Does, Step by Step
• Estate EIN: How Executors Get One Free From the IRS (Don't Pay a Website)
• Notifying Social Security and the Credit Bureaus After a Death
• Do You Have to Pay a Deceased Parent's Debt? Usually No. Here's Why