To close a bank account on behalf of someone who has passed away, you must have legal authority to manage the account. You can use this letter template to write to the bank to request the closure of a direct payments account following the death of the account holder.Notify Bank of America. We'll ask you for the deceased customer's full legal name and Social Security number to identify their accounts. Sample Letter – Asking for a debt write-off when someone is deceased. Most banks will have their own individual procedure for closing a bank account after the title holder of the account passes away. Please include an account number or social security number of the deceased. When one party dies, the survivor owns all remaining assets in the account. Letter of instruction. Online: Use our online form to notify us about a customer's death.