Ian Bryzek, CPA
Business bank account access after death
Banks freeze or retitle business accounts based on entity type and signature cards.
Preserve signature cards, online-access logs, and any temporary access letters. Note every transfer out after death.
Unauthorized access is a legal problem; unexplained transfers are a tax-file problem.
What to keep with the file
Unauthorized access is a legal problem; unexplained transfers are a tax-file problem.
What to do next
Export the full post-death transaction history as soon as access is established.
What to gather
- Signature cards and account agreements
- Bank freeze or retitle letters
- Post-death transaction export
- Authority documents presented to the bank
- List of people who had online access
Who usually handles what
- Ian can organize the tax reporting question and the supporting records.
- An estate attorney handles title, authority, trust interpretation, and beneficiary rights.
A practical next step
Export the full post-death transaction history as soon as access is established.
Questions about title, probate authority, trust meaning, or a beneficiary's legal rights belong with an estate attorney. Start with the Professionals directory: /professionals/
Related guides
This is general tax information, not tax or legal advice. Outcomes depend on the documents, ownership, timing, and law that apply to the particular facts.