Bank Accounts

What is to be done with bank accounts after a death varies province by province.  In some regions, bank accounts are automatically frozen after a death.  To avoid any complications, the bank should be notified immediately, and you should find out the procedures for releasing these funds, and how to set up a new account for funds received after the death.  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, or Proof of Death.  If the deceased had a safety deposit box in a bank, the contents can be sealed after death and a Statement of Death and in some cases the Legal Will of the deceased will be required to gain access to the contents.

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