Bank Accounts After Death in Australia: What an Executor Needs to Know

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Bank accounts are one of the first things an executor has to deal with — and one of the areas where people most commonly make mistakes. This guide explains what happens to bank accounts when someone dies in Australia, and exactly what you need to do as executor.

Joint Accounts vs Sole Accounts: The Critical Difference

Joint accounts (held with a surviving partner or spouse) generally pass automatically to the surviving account holder by the right of survivorship. The bank needs to be notified with a certified death certificate, but the surviving holder keeps access. The funds do not form part of the estate.

Sole accounts (in the deceased’s name only) are frozen by the bank when they are notified of the death. Access requires either probate (for large amounts) or the bank’s own small estate process. The funds form part of the estate and must be accounted for in the inventory.

What Happens Immediately After Death

When you notify a bank of a death, they will freeze all sole accounts in that person’s name. This happens even if you have the deceased’s PIN or online banking details. Using those credentials to access or withdraw funds from a sole account after death — even if you intend to manage the money properly — creates legal risk for you as executor.

Do not use the deceased’s banking credentials after death. Contact the bank’s Deceased Estates team directly.

Notifying the Banks

Every bank in Australia has a Deceased Estates process. Most have dedicated phone lines and will require: a certified copy of the death certificate; your full name and relationship to the deceased; a list of account numbers if known (helpful but not always required — they can search by name and date of birth).

Major bank deceased estates contacts: Commonwealth Bank — 13 22 21 | Westpac — 1300 130 467 | ANZ — 13 13 14 | NAB — 13 22 65 | Macquarie — 1800 806 310

For smaller banks and credit unions, search “[bank name] deceased estate” for their specific process.

Probate Thresholds: When Is Probate Required?

Each financial institution sets its own threshold for when they require probate before releasing estate funds. There is no single national rule. As a general guide: most major banks require probate for estates over approximately $50,000 in total sole account balances, though some have higher thresholds. Some will release funds for funeral expenses without probate regardless of balance.

Always ask each bank directly: “What is your threshold for requiring probate on a deceased estate account?” before assuming. Get the answer in writing or by email confirmation.

The Small Estate Process

For estates below the bank’s probate threshold, the bank typically has a Small Estate Statutory Declaration process. You’ll complete a statutory declaration confirming: you are the executor or next of kin; you intend to administer the estate lawfully; the value of the estate’s bank accounts does not exceed the threshold.

This declaration must be witnessed by an authorised witness (JP, solicitor, or police officer). The bank will then transfer the funds to an estate account or directly to you as executor, depending on their process.

Funeral Expense Releases

Most major Australian banks will release funds from a sole account specifically to pay for the funeral — without requiring probate — if you contact their deceased estates team with a death certificate and a funeral invoice. This can prevent the executor from needing to pay funeral expenses out of pocket while probate is pending.

Ask specifically: “Can you release funds to pay a funeral invoice before probate is granted?” The answer is almost always yes, for reasonable funeral costs.

Setting Up an Estate Account

Once you have probate (or once funds are released under a small estate process), you should establish a dedicated estate account — typically a new account in the name “[Your Name] as Executor of the Estate of [Deceased Name]”. All estate receipts and payments should flow through this account. This is essential for your record-keeping obligations as executor.

The Common Mistakes

• Accessing sole accounts using the deceased’s credentials — even with good intentions, this creates legal risk
• Distributing bank account funds to beneficiaries before paying debts — all debts must be paid first
• Missing accounts — search the deceased’s emails and mail for bank statements. Check the ATO’s unclaimed money register (ato.gov.au/forms-and-instructions/lost-super-and-unclaimed-money) and ASIC’s MoneySmart unclaimed money register
• Delay in notification — the longer the delay, the more interest may accumulate or statements may be missed

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The Executor’s Guide provides general information about estate administration in Australia. It is not legal advice.

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Related guides

• What to Do When Someone Dies in Australia
• What Is an Executor?
• Executor Duties in Australia: The Complete Legal Guide
• Do I Need Probate? A Plain-English Guide