Bankwest Deceased Estate: Bank Thresholds and What to Expect in WA

One of the first financial confrontations you face as an executor or next of kin is contacting the deceased's bank. You need to access funds to pay for the funeral, eventually close accounts, and distribute what is left. The bank wants to know: do you have a Grant of Probate?

The answer to that question determines whether you need to spend months and $408 in court fees before touching a dollar.

Here is the reality: each financial institution operating in Western Australia sets its own internal threshold for when it will and will not require probate. These thresholds are not publicly standardised, they differ significantly between institutions, and they can change without public notice. The numbers below reflect the thresholds that were commonly understood at the time of writing — always confirm with the institution's deceased estate team before making any assumptions.

Why Bank Thresholds Exist

Banks have a legal obligation to ensure they release funds to the correct person. A Grant of Probate provides formal court-backed confirmation that the executor has authority to deal with the estate. For large balances, banks insist on this protection. For smaller amounts, most institutions have decided the risk is manageable and the friction too great, so they apply an informal policy to release funds directly to the next of kin or executor on presentation of a death certificate and identification.

The threshold is effectively the bank's internal cost-benefit decision, not a statutory requirement.

Bankwest Deceased Estate Process

Bankwest is a subsidiary of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) and generally follows CBA's approach to deceased estates. Bankwest and CBA typically require a Grant of Probate for solely held account balances exceeding $100,000. Below that threshold, funds can generally be released to the executor or next of kin on production of a certified death certificate and identification.

Bankwest has a dedicated deceased estate support team. Contact them early, because the process of formally notifying the bank, freezing the account, and beginning the release process requires them to place the account in a deceased estate status first. Do this before attempting any transactions.

Even before probate, Bankwest — like most banks — will typically release funds directly to a funeral director to cover funeral expenses, provided you present the original death certificate and a tax invoice from the funeral home. This is a separate process from closing the account.

ANZ Deceased Estate

ANZ operates with a tighter threshold than Bankwest and CBA. ANZ generally requires probate for solely held account balances exceeding $50,000. For estates below that threshold, ANZ will generally work with the executor or next of kin on a next of kin statutory declaration or similar documentation in place of a formal grant.

Contact ANZ's dedicated bereavement support line to confirm the current threshold and to understand what documentation they will require in your specific situation. Each estate has slightly different circumstances and the bank may ask for additional supporting documents depending on the account type and balance.

Westpac Probate Threshold

Westpac's threshold for requiring probate on solely held accounts falls in the range of $50,000 to $100,000 — with the specific figure depending on the account structure and the state in which the customer banked. For estates clearly above $100,000 in solely held Westpac accounts, probate is almost certain to be required.

Westpac also operates BankSA and Bank of Melbourne under the same group structure. Each institution in the group may apply slightly different internal policies, so confirm with Westpac's Estate Administration team directly.

What About Smaller Institutions and Credit Unions?

Credit unions and smaller financial institutions typically apply the tightest thresholds of all. Some require probate for balances as low as $15,000 to $22,900. If the deceased banked with a credit union, confirm the threshold early, because assuming it will match a major bank's more generous approach could lead to months of unexpected delay.

The Practical Approach for Executors

Before you start contacting banks, make a complete list of every financial institution where the deceased held an account, investment, or liability. For each institution:

1. Contact their deceased estate or bereavement team — not a general branch
2. Ask for their current probate threshold for solely held accounts
3. Ask what documentation they need to begin the process (typically: certified death certificate, your identification, and a copy of the Grant of Probate or will depending on the threshold)
4. Ask how funeral expenses can be released before probate is granted, if needed

The death certificate is the key that unlocks every subsequent step. If you have not yet obtained it, that is the first priority. The WA Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages issues certified copies for $58, with a priority service available for an additional $44.

Probate, if required, takes an average of 3 to 6 weeks once correctly prepared documents are lodged with the Supreme Court of Western Australia — plus the mandatory 14-day waiting period from the date of death before you can lodge at all.

The WA Estate Settlement Guide includes a bank notification matrix covering all major WA institutions, their deceased estate team contact processes, and what documentation each requires — so you do not have to piece it together institution by institution while grieving.

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