Can I use a power of attorney to claim a deceased person’s account?
The deceased’s own power of attorney died with them. Nobody can operate their account on that paper after the death. What can work is a fresh mandate from a living heir, limited to collecting that heir’s claim, given to someone who can attend the branch.
The POA you already have is usually useless
A general POA signed by the parent to a child, to run the house or the business, does not survive the parent. Presenting it after the death is one of the reasons a branch freezes the conversation.
Joint-account survivorship is different: the surviving holder operates because of the account mandate, not because of a POA.
What to execute instead
A special power or letter of authority from the heir who is claiming, naming the person who will submit the file and collect the acknowledgement. Notarise it. If the heir is abroad, attest it the way that bank’s NRI desk asks.
The authority should not let the attorney sign away the heir’s share. Collection and submission only.
Common questions
- Can the nominee use a POA?
- The nominee claims in their own name. They do not need the deceased’s POA. If the nominee is abroad, they give a fresh mandate of their own.
Find out what your case needs
The free check applies all of the above to your actual family and your actual accounts, and tells you the shares and the document list in two minutes.
Related
Last reviewed 2026-09-24. This is general information, not legal advice. Institution requirements change — confirm before you file.