Account discovery
How to find all accounts of a deceased person
Account discovery is an evidence-gathering process. Start with lawful access to records and create one inventory before cancelling services or moving funds.
General educational information only. Requirements vary by document, jurisdiction, institution, and individual facts.
Start with the person's existing plan and records
Look for an account inventory, will, trust, tax returns, statements, insurance files, property records, business records, password-manager instructions, and contact details for lawyers, accountants, and advisors.
Review mail and recurring transactions
With appropriate authority, examine physical mail, bank and credit-card statements, direct deposits, automatic payments, tax forms, and renewal notices. Recurring charges can reveal subscriptions, utilities, memberships, storage, and insurance.
Use formal discovery channels
Ask the estate lawyer about lawful credit reports, tax transcripts, property searches, business records, and unclaimed-property databases. Use the NAIC policy locator if there may be an unknown life-insurance policy.
Treat devices and email carefully
Ownership of a device does not automatically authorize access to every account on it. Follow provider legacy processes, applicable law, and professional advice rather than guessing passwords or bypassing security.
Build one defensible inventory
For each possible account, record the institution, account purpose, evidence, ownership, beneficiary or co-owner if known, contact path, assigned person, documents required, and resolution status.
Practical action plan
Use this order when you begin.
- Start with lawful records
Review mail, tax returns, statements, the will, insurance papers, and records available to the authorized representative.
- Trace recurring activity
Use known bank and card statements to identify deposits, transfers, premiums, debts, and subscriptions.
- Contact known professionals
Ask the accountant, lawyer, advisor, employer, pension administrator, and insurance agent what records they can lawfully provide.
- Search official services
Use state unclaimed-property programs and the NAIC policy locator where appropriate.
- Maintain a search log
Record queries, dates, responses, proof supplied, and unresolved leads to prevent duplicated work.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Paying a finder before checking official unclaimed-property sources
- Accessing accounts without authority
- Treating a name match as proof that an asset belongs to the estate
Common questions
What families usually ask next.
Can an executor obtain a deceased person's credit report?
An authorized estate representative may be able to request records through a credit bureau's deceased-person process. Requirements vary, so use the bureau's official instructions and provide only the documentation requested.
Where should an account search begin?
Start with the person's plan, recent tax returns, mail, bank and card statements, insurance records, property records, and known professional advisors. Then use appropriate official unclaimed-property and insurance-search services.
Sources and further reading
Provider interfaces and institutional requirements can change. Confirm current instructions with the organization involved.
- NAIC — Life Insurance Policy Locator
- Social Security Administration — What to do when someone dies
- Apple Support — How to add a Legacy Contact
- Google Account Help — Inactive Account Manager