Know of a bank that will open account for estate?

Most banks will not enforce a 2 signature requirement. It leaves them open to too much liability. They would then be required to verify every item that came through the account, with no possibility of missing a single one. With most processing being done by computers, it would lead to increased hands-on follow-up. When a customer asks for this type of account, I have to explain that while the checks can certainly be ordered that way, and an agreement can be made between the signers of the checks, there is not a way to guarantee that one person could not sign the checks alone. As owners of the account, it would become your responsibilty to follow up on items that presented against the account to ensure that the proper signatures were obtained.

I'm sorry for your loss. Where did your father do his banking? If he had an account, contact his bank and see if you would be able to cash the check after presenting them with the will. Make sure you have a copy of your birth certificate to prove that you are who you say you are and that his name is on the birth certificate.. Is it possible that he had an account and named you as a beneficiary or co-owner of that account? If so, wouldn't you be able to cash the check using that account? These are just questions that I'm posting for you to consider. I'm not sure how it works. Check with the bank where he did his banking at. It seems to me that you wouldn't have too much trouble cashing the check if you went to his bank. There is one other thing to consider. Do you have siblings who are also beneficiaries of your father's estate and any money owed to your father's estate will be divided evenly between you and your siblings? That could have something to do with it, unless you are an only child. God bless.

To allow only one signature on estate account would not negate the whole 'co-administrator' aspect. It means that decisions should be made by both of you. One not having full say-so in how affairs are handled. The checking account is to pay outstanding debts and usually funeral costs. This does not require a decision by both of you. The debts have to be paid. No 'ifs, 'ands' or 'buts'.

Your father wanted you and your sister to share in any decision making. That's fair. However one decision that is out of your hands is whether to pay off his debts or not.

If you are the one that is local, then you should sign the checks. It would be a pain to have to get your sister's signature for every check. You should let her know what's going on and what needs to be paid and when it's paid, but that's just to keep her up on whats going on.

A lot of trust companies will open the account for you and yes you can have both signatures on the cheque