Adding your kids to your bank account or home deed may seem like a simple solution to avoid probate and ensure a smooth transfer of assets after you pass away. You will need to establish a legal right to claim your mother's estate before the bank will even talk to you about your mother's assets.If you add loved ones to your bank accounts, they are legal owners after you die and can withdrawal the money without including it in the estate. It's useful to have an estate account in the form of a checking account, but your estate's needs may call for adding a savings or money market account, too. Two common ways to avoid probate on your bank accounts are holding the account jointly or designating a beneficiary for the account. Learn what a bank account beneficiary is and what the rules and regulations are for selecting a beneficiary for your bank account. Learn why an estate account is an ideal vehicle to properly administer an estate and how you can easily open one. While the process for accessing a bank account after death usually isn't complicated, taking the time to understand bank account beneficiary rules can help. The funds in a bank account are available for the executor to use to cover debts, taxes, and other estate costs. In order to open a checking account, you generally need to present to the bank a copy of the death certificate as well as your legal appointment paperwork.