The Surrogate's Court hears cases involving the affairs (estate) of a decedent (person who passed away). Notify Bank of America.We'll ask you for the deceased customer's full legal name and Social Security number to identify their accounts. Learn how to claim a New York bank account and it's cash of a deceased foreign person through administration and probate. Have you named a beneficiary on your bank accounts? A New York estate planning attorney explains the pros and cons of payable on death designations. We'll need a photocopy of the death certificate to verify the identity and legal residence of your loved one as well as confirm date of death. The audit identified the need for BCPA to improve its processes for identifying and safeguarding decedent's assets and maintaining accurate estate records. Just go to the bank with your death certificate.