The bank will not allow you to close it unless you have a letter of authorization from the probate court. To close a bank account on behalf of someone who has passed away, you must have legal authority to manage the account.Bank accounts that are solely in your name can be held up temporarily upon your death. Probate is the legal process to distribute a person's property after they die. A transfer on death deed (TODD) is a legal document that allows a person to transfer ownership of their property after they die. Q: Father died without a will, need to close his bank account. Need all the help i can get. 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. Small estate affidavits are a fast and affordable way to transfer property after someone has died, when the decedent died without a will. If we were beneficiaries of the account, can I close the account without probate paperwork?