From time to time, it may be necessary to close a bank account. Depending on your bank’s policy, you may need to submit an account closure letter to make it final.
A bank account closure letter is simply a written request to have one or more accounts at a financial institution closed. If you have to submit a bank letter to close an account, you may have the option to mail it in or return it in person at a branch.
Knowing how to write a letter to close a bank account can ensure that you’re not leaving any loose ends behind if you decide to move your money elsewhere. Here, you’ll learn:
• What is a bank account closure letter?
• Are bank closure letters required?
• What must a bank closure letter include?
• What do sample bank closure letters look like?
Get up to $300 when you bank with SoFi.
Open a SoFi Checking and Savings Account with direct deposit and get up to a $300 cash bonus. Plus, get up to 4.60% APY on your cash!
What Is a Bank Letter to Close an Account?
A bank account closure letter is a letter you write to your bank or credit union asking them to close your account. If you’re closing a savings account at one bank so you can open a new account elsewhere, for example, the bank might ask you to do so in writing.
Writing a letter to close a bank account can ensure that it’s actually closed and that no new deposits or withdrawals can be made. You can write a closing bank account letter to your bank for one account that you have there or for all of them. You can also specify where the bank should forward any remaining money in the account(s).
If you write a bank account closure letter, it’s still a good idea to confirm that the account is closed and update account information for any automatic payments or direct deposits you have set up. Otherwise, you could end up reopening a closed bank account by accident if the bank allows new deposit or credit transactions to post.
Recommended: What Happens If a Direct Deposit Goes to a Closed Account?
How Do Bank Closure Letters Work?
Bank account closure letters work by directing the bank to close any accounts that you specify in the letter. Your bank may have an account closing letter template or form that you can download from its website or pick up at a branch. If not, you can draft your own bank closure letter by including the required information.
Once you submit a bank closure letter to the bank, they’re supposed to close the account or accounts listed in the letter. Any other accounts not listed in the letter should not be affected.
A bank closing letter may or may not need to be notarized. If your bank requires notarization, you may be able to have the bank notary witness your signature at a branch. Bank notary services are usually free for existing customers.
Note that if you have a joint bank account, both of you may need to sign the letter for account closing.
Are Bank Closure Letters Required?
Whether you need to provide a letter to close a bank account or not can depend on the bank. It’s possible that you may be able to close a bank account over the phone or at a branch, without having to submit anything in writing.
You may be more likely to need a written bank account closure letter if there are special reasons for the closure. For example, a letter may be necessary if you:
• Were named as a beneficiary to a bank account and are closing it after the death of the primary account owner.
• Are going through a divorce and it’s necessary to close the account to divide assets.
• Need to close an account for someone who’s passed away and you’re acting as their executor.
Your bank or credit union should be able to tell you when, if ever, a bank account closure letter might be needed. If a letter is necessary, your bank may also be able to provide you with a template or, at the very least, tell you what information you’ll need to include.
Recommended: How to Automate Your Finances
Bank Letter to Close an Account Sample
Bank closure letter templates can vary from bank to bank, but they generally include the same information. If you’re wondering what you can expect, here are a few sample bank account closing letters that you can use as a guide for what to include.
• Heritage Bank account closing letter
• First Bank of Highland Park account closing letter
• Bank of America account closing letter template .
Again, not all banks offer a set template for a bank closing letter. U.S. Bank, for example, directs customers to mail in written requests but doesn’t provide a standard form for doing so.
How to Write an Account Closure Letter?
If you need to write an account closure letter to close a bank account, the process is fairly straightforward. The letter doesn’t need to be long; usually just one page will suffice. But your letter does need to include the right information, as follows:
Basic Information
The first thing to include is some basic information that’s common to any business letter. So, at the top you’ll write:
• Name of the bank
• Bank address
• The date.
You can also add a separate line underneath that referencing what the letter is about. For example, you might add a line that says RE: Account closure for [your name].
After the initial information, you can follow up with the greeting. You can use Dear Banker or To Whom It May Concern if you’re not sure who will receive the letter.
Closure Request
Next, you’ll want to specify what you’re writing about. So, you might say something like:
“Dear Banker,
I’m writing to request the closure of the following accounts at your bank. Please close the account(s) listed below and forward a check for the remaining balance(s) to the address listed below. If you have any questions regarding this request, you can contact me in writing or by phone at XXX-XXX-XXX.”
You don’t need to go into detail about why you’re closing a bank account. If your banker asks, you can provide them with an explanation, but you shouldn’t be required to do so.
Account Information
After making the closure request, you’ll need to tell the bank which accounts to close. Specifically, you can include the following:
• Account name(s) or type(s)
• Account number(s)
Once you’ve listed out the accounts, you can ask the bank to send a written confirmation that your request was received and the accounts have been closed. The final step is to sign and date the letter so you can submit it to the bank.
Opening a Bank Account With SoFi
Interested in opening an online bank account? When you sign up for a SoFi Checking and Savings account with direct deposit, you’ll get a competitive annual percentage yield (APY), pay zero account fees, and enjoy an array of rewards, such as access to the Allpoint Network of 55,000+ fee-free ATMs globally. Qualifying accounts can even access their paycheck up to two days early.
FAQ
Which documents are required to close a bank account?
If you’d like to close a bank account, all you might need is a bank account closure letter. Additional documents, such as a divorce decree or a death certificate, may be needed to close bank accounts that you own jointly or that belonged to someone else in the circumstances of a divorce or death.
Can you close a bank account without going to the bank?
If your bank allows you to close accounts online or over the phone, it’s possible to do so without setting foot in a branch. You can contact customer service to find out what options you have for closing a bank account and whether a bank closure letter might be required.
What constitutes proof of bank account closure?
It’s a good idea to get a written confirmation from your bank that an account is closed. That way, if there are any issues with the closure later, you have a paper trail to show that the bank acknowledged your request.
Photo credit: iStock/Pheelings Media
SoFi® Checking and Savings is offered through SoFi Bank, N.A. ©2023 SoFi Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.
The SoFi Bank Debit Mastercard® is issued by SoFi Bank, N.A., pursuant to license by Mastercard International Incorporated and can be used everywhere Mastercard is accepted. Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated.
SoFi members with direct deposit activity can earn 4.60% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Direct Deposit means a deposit to an account holder’s SoFi Checking or Savings account, including payroll, pension, or government payments (e.g., Social Security), made by the account holder’s employer, payroll or benefits provider or government agency (“Direct Deposit”) via the Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) Network during a 30-day Evaluation Period (as defined below). Deposits that are not from an employer or government agency, including but not limited to check deposits, peer-to-peer transfers (e.g., transfers from PayPal, Venmo, etc.), merchant transactions (e.g., transactions from PayPal, Stripe, Square, etc.), and bank ACH funds transfers and wire transfers from external accounts, do not constitute Direct Deposit activity. There is no minimum Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the stated interest rate.
SoFi members with Qualifying Deposits can earn 4.60% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Qualifying Deposits means one or more deposits that, in the aggregate, are equal to or greater than $5,000 to an account holder’s SoFi Checking and Savings account (“Qualifying Deposits”) during a 30-day Evaluation Period (as defined below). Qualifying Deposits only include those deposits from the following eligible sources: (i) ACH transfers, (ii) inbound wire transfers, (iii) peer-to-peer transfers (i.e., external transfers from PayPal, Venmo, etc. and internal peer-to-peer transfers from a SoFi account belonging to another account holder), (iv) check deposits, (v) instant funding to your SoFi Bank Debit Card, (vi) push payments to your SoFi Bank Debit Card, and (vii) cash deposits. Qualifying Deposits do not include: (i) transfers between an account holder’s Checking account, Savings account, and/or Vaults; (ii) interest payments; (iii) bonuses issued by SoFi Bank or its affiliates; or (iv) credits, reversals, and refunds from SoFi Bank, N.A. (“SoFi Bank”) or from a merchant.
SoFi Bank shall, in its sole discretion, assess each account holder’s Direct Deposit activity and Qualifying Deposits throughout each 30-Day Evaluation Period to determine the applicability of rates and may request additional documentation for verification of eligibility. The 30-Day Evaluation Period refers to the “Start Date” and “End Date” set forth on the APY Details page of your account, which comprises a period of 30 calendar days (the “30-Day Evaluation Period”). You can access the APY Details page at any time by logging into your SoFi account on the SoFi mobile app or SoFi website and selecting either (i) Banking > Savings > Current APY or (ii) Banking > Checking > Current APY. Upon receiving a Direct Deposit or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits to your account, you will begin earning 4.60% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% on checking balances on or before the following calendar day. You will continue to earn these APYs for (i) the remainder of the current 30-Day Evaluation Period and through the end of the subsequent 30-Day Evaluation Period and (ii) any following 30-day Evaluation Periods during which SoFi Bank determines you to have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits without interruption.
SoFi Bank reserves the right to grant a grace period to account holders following a change in Direct Deposit activity or Qualifying Deposits activity before adjusting rates. If SoFi Bank grants you a grace period, the dates for such grace period will be reflected on the APY Details page of your account. If SoFi Bank determines that you did not have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits during the current 30-day Evaluation Period and, if applicable, the grace period, then you will begin earning the rates earned by account holders without either Direct Deposit or Qualifying Deposits until you have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits in a subsequent 30-Day Evaluation Period. For the avoidance of doubt, an account holder with both Direct Deposit activity and Qualifying Deposits will earn the rates earned by account holders with Direct Deposit.
Members without either Direct Deposit activity or Qualifying Deposits, as determined by SoFi Bank, during a 30-Day Evaluation Period and, if applicable, the grace period, will earn 1.20% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances.
Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 10/24/2023. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.
Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.
External Websites: The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third-party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.
SOBK0323019
