To close a bank account on behalf of someone who has passed away, you must have legal authority to manage the account. The bank will not allow you to close it unless you have a letter of authorization from the probate court.A bank closure letter may be needed if you want to close a bank account without having to go to your bank's physical location. Notify Bank of America. We'll ask you for the deceased customer's full legal name and Social Security number to identify their accounts. For those close to the deceased, here are some circumstances to consider, and what to do when an account holder dies. Most joint bank or credit union accounts are held with "rights of survivorship. A bank usually cannot close a deceased account until the person's estate has been settled and closed, typically through probate. The rule of survivorship states if you open a joint bank account and one person dies, the surviving owner automatically takes over the account. Joint deposit accounts may be retitled to remove the deceased customer.