The Harris County Clerk's office is happy to help you file documents or locate records, but we cannot answer legal questions. If submitting online, you must provide your Social Security number for verification.Banks and other financial institutions will often say that letters testamentary are required to access a bank account for someone who died. You cannot access a dead person's bank account unless you have the legal right to do so. This manual is intended to assist persons who are involved in the administration of a decedent's estate in Virginia. It explains in plain English how the process works and includes step-by-step instructions on how to fill out the necessary forms and paperwork. How to fill out the Application to Open Safe Deposit Box in Harris County? If you die without naming a beneficiary, your bank account will transfer through your will and through probate law, as appropriate. To retrieve the funds after the account owner's death, the beneficiary will need to provide the bank with a copy of the death certificate. There is not a fee to apply for the Harris Health Financial Assistance Program.