To close a bank account on behalf of someone who has passed away, you must have legal authority to manage the account. To close a bank account after death, you must completely liquidate its funds.Tell them that you wish to close account number xyz and what to do with any balance of funds. Sign it and date it. The letter shall start with the sender's address, date, bank's address, and with a salutation. It is standard practice to freeze a sole owned account once the bank is presented with a death certificate for the owner. Banks generally cannot close a deceased account until after the person's estate has gone through probate or has otherwise settled. KeyBank guides you through the process of settling a loved one's financial accounts after they die. When you've registered the death, you will be issued with a death certificate. This will act as formal notification for the bank to begin closing the account.