Close credit union, bank and investment accounts, and open an Estate Account. The bank will also need to see a copy of the Certificate of Trust naming the successor trustee, and the bank will have some forms that need to be filled out.To be a Successor, a person must complete a estate affidavit specific to the state laws in which the decedent resided. A deceased person's bank account is inaccessible unless you're a joint owner, a beneficiary of the account or the estate executor. As a credit union, we are unable to open accounts for deceased non-members. The FCU Model Bylaws contain the following provision with regard to keeping a deceased member's account open. Each institution may have their own policy for decedent accounts, but the general process should be the same for both banks and credit unions. An Affidavit of this nature allows a bank or credit union in Florida to pay a qualified family member the funds in the decedent's bank accounts. You can open an estate account after getting necessary documents, like the decedent's death certificate and a taxpayer identification number for the estate. These affidavits allow a decedent's personal property to be transferred to his or her successors without a formal probate proceeding.