A personal representative owes a duty to the estate, its beneficiaries and creditors to properly manage the assets and funds of the estate. Technically, there is no rule requiring a personal representative to set up an estate bank account, but doing so is a good idea.
Setting up an estate bank account helps prevent co-mingling estate funds with personal or business funds, it provides a place to deposit funds payable to the decedent, and it provides a method to keep track of estate funds. At some point the personal representative will need to provide an accounting, which is easier if the estate funds are kept in their own account.
Douglas N. Kiger, Attorney at Law
Blado Kiger Bolan, Tacoma, Wash.