What Accounts to Close After Someone Dies
After someone dies, accounts to close include individual bank accounts, credit cards, personal loans, subscriptions, and streaming services. Joint accounts with survivorship rights transfer automatically — do not close them. Accounts with named beneficiaries (life insurance, retirement, POD/TOD) are claimed, not closed.
Settling an estate involves contacting an average of 12 or more institutions, and closing accounts in the wrong order is one of the most common mistakes families make. This guide walks through what to close, what to transfer, and what to leave alone until you have legal authority.
Accounts That Are Usually Closed
These accounts are typically closed once the death is reported and documentation is provided.
Personal Financial Accounts
Pause before closing anything tied to financial access or two-factor authentication.
Checking accounts
Savings accounts
Credit cards (individual, not joint)
Personal loans or lines of credit
If the account was joint, it may transfer instead of closing.
Subscriptions & Services
These don’t require certified copies and can usually be handled quickly.
Streaming services
Phone plans
Software subscriptions
Memberships (gyms, clubs, newsletters)
Online & Digital Accounts
Email accounts (after data review) - might be helpful to leave open for a while to make sure you capture all bills and notices that were paperless.
Social media accounts (close or memorialize)
Cloud storage or digital services
Accounts That Are Usually Transferred (Not Closed)
These accounts often pass directly to beneficiaries. These are claimed, not closed.
Life insurance policies
Retirement accounts (401k, IRA, pensions)
Accounts with POD/TOD beneficiaries
Joint accounts with survivorship rights
Accounts That Should Wait
Do not rush to close these until authority is confirmed.
Accounts tied to probate - If it doesn’t automatically transfer, it likely requires probate authority.
Estate-related bank accounts
Business accounts
Accounts receiving income (rent, dividends, royalties)
Closing too early can delay the estate or create legal issues.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Closing accounts before confirming probate requirements
Canceling accounts needed for ongoing bills
Shutting down email too early
Closing joint accounts that should transfer automatically
Quick Rule of Thumb
Subscriptions → Close
Beneficiary accounts → Claim
Solely owned accounts → Pause until authority is clear
Closing accounts is not the first step. Confirm authority, understand ownership, then act. You can keep a running list of accounts and next steps inside Good Grief.
Useful Resources
Good Grief helps executors and families get clarity on next steps, avoid common mistakes, and move forward with confidence.