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.Fill it out for the deceased, but don't forge the name. This page tells you about: What is probate? Is probate necessary? You can use this letter template to write to the bank to request the closure of a direct payments account following the death of the account holder. In general, you can't. The bank will not allow you to close it unless you have a letter of authorization from the probate court. The process of claiming a bank account after death varies based on a number of factors. Here's how to claim a deceased person's bank accounts.