When someone dies, any joint brokerage or bank accounts with rights of survivorship can go straight to the joint owner and bypass probate. To close a bank account on behalf of someone who has passed away, you must have legal authority to manage the account.Bank accounts are frozen after a person dies. In the majority of cases, joint bank accounts are not subject to the probate process. (Arizona Revised Statutes, Section 14-3971)You would simply get the form and instructions from the court's website, fill out the form and have it notarized. You must do the following: 1. Complete the Closing Statement: See the form called Instructions: How to fill out the Closing. Statement. 2. Notify Bank of America. We'll ask you for the deceased customer's full legal name and Social Security number to identify their accounts. Question: My mother passed away.