Dec302025
Probate Q&A Series

How do I find all bank accounts or financial accounts a deceased person owned if I don’t have access to their email or phone statements? – North Carolina

Short Answer

In North Carolina, the personal representative (administrator) usually finds accounts by combining (1) a paper-record search, (2) written “asset verification” requests to likely banks and credit unions using certified Letters of Administration and a death certificate, and (3) requests to digital account custodians for a catalogue of the decedent’s digital assets when needed. If accounts still cannot be located, a search of North Carolina’s unclaimed property resources can help identify dormant funds that may be payable to the estate.

Understanding the Problem

In North Carolina estate administration, the administrator must identify what financial accounts the deceased person owned or had an interest in so the estate can be valued, an estate account can be funded, and required inventory and accounting filings can be completed. The problem usually arises when the administrator does not have access to the deceased person’s email, phone, or online banking, so there is no easy way to see statements, alerts, or account lists. The single decision point is what tools North Carolina law and standard estate administration practice allow an administrator to use to locate and confirm accounts without relying on the deceased person’s devices or logins.

Apply the Law

Under North Carolina law, the personal representative has authority to collect, safeguard, and account for estate assets. In practice, banks and other financial institutions typically require proof of authority (certified Letters of Administration or Letters Testamentary) and a certified death certificate before they will confirm whether the decedent had accounts and provide date-of-death values. When the missing information is tied to online access or digital records, North Carolina’s digital assets law can require a “custodian” (such as an email provider or other online service) to provide certain non-content account information to the personal representative, and sometimes content, if the legal requirements are met.

Key Requirements

  • Proof of authority: Financial institutions and online custodians usually require certified Letters of Administration (or Letters Testamentary) and a certified death certificate before they will release information.
  • Targeted written requests: The administrator generally needs to send written requests to banks, credit unions, and brokerages asking whether the decedent had accounts and requesting date-of-death balances and supporting documentation.
  • Digital-asset compliance when needed: If account discovery depends on online records, the administrator may need to make a formal request to the digital “custodian” for a catalogue of electronic communications and other digital assets (and, in narrower situations, request content) using the statute’s required documentation.

What the Statutes Say

Analysis

Apply the Rule to the Facts: Here, the administrator needs to identify, value, and consolidate estate assets into an estate account and then complete inventory and accounting filings. That typically requires obtaining date-of-death balances and documentation directly from financial institutions, which usually will not speak with family members without authority but will respond to a personal representative who provides certified Letters and a death certificate. Because access to email and phone statements is missing, the administrator may also need to use North Carolina’s digital assets process to obtain a catalogue of accounts and digital records that can point to banks, brokerages, and other financial custodians.

Process & Timing

  1. Who files: The personal representative (administrator). Where: Start with the Clerk of Superior Court (Estates) in the county where the estate is administered for certified Letters, then use those certified copies with banks and custodians. What: Certified Letters of Administration, certified death certificate, and written “does the decedent have accounts here?” requests to financial institutions; for digital custodians, a written request that meets the statutory requirements. When: As soon as possible after qualification, because banks may restrict or close individual accounts and the estate still needs accurate date-of-death values for filings.
  2. Send targeted bank and credit union searches: Prepare a short verification letter to each likely institution (including local banks, credit unions, and any institution shown on paper records). Request (a) confirmation of accounts on the date of death, (b) account type, (c) exact date-of-death balance, (d) accrued but unpaid interest not included in the balance, (e) year-to-date interest through the date of death, (f) any withdrawal restrictions, and (g) copies of signature cards and relevant account documents. Also ask whether the institution holds any loans and request copies of notes and security documents.
  3. Use digital-asset requests when paper trails are thin: If the only practical way to identify institutions is through online records (email inbox, cloud storage, or account dashboards), send a request to the custodian for a catalogue of electronic communications and other digital assets under the statute. If message content is truly necessary, be prepared for the higher threshold (consent or court direction) and the additional documentation that custodians often require.

Exceptions & Pitfalls

  • Joint and beneficiary-designated accounts: Some accounts pass outside the probate estate (for example, joint accounts with right of survivorship or payable-on-death designations). Even when they do not pass through probate, they can still matter for paying valid estate claims in certain situations, so the administrator should still identify them and get documentation before assuming they are irrelevant.
  • Using the wrong tax ID for the estate account: Banks typically require an EIN for the estate checking account and may reject use of the decedent’s Social Security number for a new estate account. Opening the estate account promptly helps capture incoming checks payable to the decedent and creates a clean paper trail for accountings.
  • Incomplete requests to banks: Asking only for “current balance” can create problems because inventories and accountings often need date-of-death balances and accrued interest details. A complete request also asks for signature cards and restrictions, which can reveal co-owners, payable-on-death beneficiaries, and authority issues.
  • Digital access shortcuts: Trying to log in using guessed passwords or bypassing access controls can create legal and practical problems. North Carolina provides a formal path for certain digital disclosures to a personal representative, and custodians often require strict compliance with documentation.
  • Overlooking unclaimed property: If an account was dormant or mail stopped years ago, funds may have been turned over as unclaimed property. A separate search may be needed to locate those assets and determine the correct claimant (often the estate, depending on how the property is titled and what documentation the holder requires).

Conclusion

In North Carolina, an administrator can usually locate a deceased person’s bank and financial accounts without email or phone access by using certified Letters of Administration and a certified death certificate to make written verification requests to likely financial institutions, and by using the digital assets statute to obtain a catalogue of digital accounts when online records are needed. The practical next step is to send institution-by-institution search letters and request date-of-death balances and signature cards as soon as possible after qualification.

Talk to a Probate Attorney

If an estate administration requires locating unknown bank or financial accounts, gathering date-of-death values, and setting up an estate account for inventory and accounting filings, our firm has experienced attorneys who can help explain the options and timelines. Call us today at (919) 341-7055.

Disclaimer: This article provides general information about North Carolina law based on the single question stated above. It is not legal advice for your specific situation and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws, procedures, and local practice can change and may vary by county. If you have a deadline, act promptly and speak with a licensed North Carolina attorney.

Category: Probate Q&A Series

Author: jpierce

Attorney Jared Pierce is the founder of Pierce Law Group in Raleigh, North Carolina, a firm he established with a dedicated focus on probate administration and estate planning across North Carolina. Born and raised in the Republic of South Africa, Jared moved to Durham with his family in 2001, bringing with him a rich cultural background and a distinctive accent that often serves as a conversation starter.