The decedent must have resided in the County of filing. Attorneys must electronically file all documents on the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal.To re-close the estate, a petition and Order for Discharge must be filed. To close a bank account on behalf of someone who has passed away, you must have legal authority to manage the account. Probate is a necessary court-supervised legal process used for the verification and administration of an individual's assets after death. Most estates are resolved within 18 months. However, all claims against an estate must be filed within 2 years of the person's death. The bank will not allow you to close it unless you have a letter of authorization from the probate court. Formal administration will take at a minimum 6 months in order to be able to close out the estate administration. The answer will depend on the laws in the state (or country?) you live in.