NAB and ANZ Deceased Estate: How to Access Funds in NSW

The bank accounts are frozen. You can see the money sitting there, and you can't touch it. That's the reality families face the moment a bank is notified of a death — and it can feel like one more wall thrown up at the worst possible time.

The good news: you don't have to wait for probate to access at least some of those funds. Banks in Australia operate a threshold system that determines when they require a formal Grant of Representation before releasing money, and for smaller estates — or for paying the funeral — the rules are more flexible than most people realise.

Why Accounts Are Frozen Immediately

When a bank is notified that an account holder has died, it freezes all solely-held accounts. This is a legal protection, not obstruction. The bank cannot know who is authorised to deal with the estate until there's either a will naming an executor or a court-issued Grant of Administration. Releasing funds to the wrong person would expose the bank to liability and the estate to potential loss.

Joint accounts are treated differently — a surviving joint account holder generally maintains immediate access, because the right of survivorship applies automatically at death.

The freeze covers solely-held accounts. Everything from the transaction account to term deposits to savings accounts in the deceased's name alone is locked until the bank is satisfied that the person dealing with it has legal authority.

The One Exception That Matters Most: Funeral Expenses

Every major Australian bank will release funds directly to pay a funeral director's invoice, even from a frozen account, before any formal grant of authority is obtained. You just need to present the funeral director's invoice and a copy of the death certificate.

This is not a goodwill gesture — it's standard industry practice, and you should ask for it explicitly if the bank doesn't offer it. The payment goes directly to the funeral home rather than to you, which is why banks allow it: the money can't be misused.

If the funeral director is willing to be paid later, they can defer the invoice until funds are released. But if the family needs to settle the bill promptly, go to the bank branch, bring the invoice and the death certificate, and ask them to arrange direct payment to the funeral director.

The Bank Threshold System: Why It Matters

Australia's major banks each set their own internal thresholds for when they require a formal Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration (collectively called a Grant of Representation) before releasing funds. Below the threshold, they typically accept a certified copy of the death certificate and the original will — no grant needed. Above it, they require the formal court document.

Here's where each major bank sits as of mid-2026:

NAB: Historically maintained a $50,000 limit for informal release. Recent procedures have raised this — NAB now mandates a Grant of Representation if solely-held accounts total $100,000 or more in credit. Below that, they'll typically process the release with a death certificate, will, and executor identification.

ANZ: Generally requires probate if solely-held funds are $50,000 or more, with some assessments citing up to $100,000 depending on the complexity of the estate and the account types held. ANZ applies some discretion here — ask what their current threshold is for your specific situation.

CBA: Probate required if solely-held accounts exceed $100,000. For estates under that figure, a certified death certificate and original will are typically sufficient.

Westpac: Same general position as CBA — probate required for balances of $100,000 or more.

Credit unions and smaller institutions: Thresholds can be significantly lower, sometimes as low as $15,000. Don't assume that because a major bank would release funds without probate, a credit union will too.

These figures apply to the total in solely-held accounts, not to each individual account. If the deceased had $60,000 across two NAB accounts, the combined balance is what triggers the threshold — not the individual account balances.

Accessing bank funds is one part of estate settlement. The NSW Estate Settlement Guide covers bank procedures alongside the ATO, Centrelink, superannuation, and probate — everything in one place.

What Happens When You Notify the Bank

When you contact a bank's deceased estates team, you'll initiate a formal process. Banks typically have dedicated bereavement or estate services teams (not just branch staff) who handle this. For major banks, this may mean:

• A branch visit is required to present original documents
• The bank issues its own internal notification to freeze the account
• You receive a reference number and a list of what's required for the next stage

The bank will ask upfront whether the estate is likely to require probate, and whether you have or intend to apply for a Grant. Be honest — telling them the estate is small when it isn't will cause problems later.

Documents Each Bank Typically Requires

For informal release (below the threshold):

• Certified copy of the death certificate (from the NSW Registry)
• Original will (the bank may take a copy and return the original)
• Executor's identification (photo ID + proof of address)
• Completed estate notification form (the bank's own form)

For formal release (above the threshold, or no will):

• All of the above
• Grant of Probate (if there is a will) or Letters of Administration (if there is no will)
• These grants are issued by the Supreme Court of NSW and take several weeks to months to obtain

If there is no will at all, the bank will not release funds without Letters of Administration regardless of the account balance. There is no informal path without a will.

Notifying Multiple Banks at Once: The ADNS

If the deceased held accounts at multiple banks, you don't need to contact each one separately. The Australian Death Notification Service (ADNS) at deathnotificationservice.com.au allows you to notify participating institutions simultaneously with a single online form.

Not every bank or financial institution is a participant, so you'll want to check the ADNS website for the current list. For institutions not covered, you'll need to contact them directly.

Using the ADNS speeds up the notification stage, but it doesn't replace the bank's own documentation requirements. You'll still need to provide original documents to each bank as they progress the estate process.

A Note on the Administration Timeline

Even for straightforward estates, expect the bank process to take several weeks from notification to final distribution. Banks apply their own internal processing times, and if probate is required, the Supreme Court of NSW adds several weeks (for straightforward applications) to months (for anything contested or complex) on top.

Executors sometimes express frustration at the pace. Banks are not being obstructive — they're protecting themselves and the estate from fraud and competing claims. The process exists for good reasons, even if the timing is difficult.

One practical step: keep a record of every bank the deceased held accounts with, along with the account numbers you can find. Check statements, email accounts, and any digital password managers. Forgotten accounts often surface months into administration.

If you're administering an estate in NSW and managing multiple banks, the ATO, Centrelink, and potentially probate all at once, having a clear sequence matters. The NSW Estate Settlement Guide sets out each step in order — including which tasks to tackle first so you don't cause delays downstream.

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