To close a bank account on behalf of someone who has passed away, you must have legal authority to manage the account. I would contact the bank and provide them with a death certificate along with proof of your relationship to the deceased.File Petition to Probate the Estate. Determine if you have a small or regular estate, as the forms and timelines differ for each. This brochure will be useful to you in answering general questions on how to proceed with the administration of an estate. My mother passed away. What do I do to close out bank account. Notify Bank of America. We'll ask you for the deceased customer's full legal name and Social Security number to identify their accounts. Identifying and locating assets of the person who passed away, such as bank accounts, real estate, investments, and personal property.