Supporting you during a challenging time
The loss of a family member or friend can be an incredibly difficult and emotional time and dealing with their finances can feel confusing and overwhelming. We are here to support you during this time by making the process of finalising their banking as easy and simple as possible.
On this page you’ll find an overview of how we can help you with their banking arrangements, what steps you may need to take and what you may expect from us to finalise these arrangements.
On this page we’ll refer to a ‘Representative’. This means a representative who is entitled by law to deal with the deceased estate, such as an Executor, Administrator, or Next of kin.
What do I need to do?
Notify Us
Let us know about your loved one’s passing as soon as possible, so that we can help support you. We’ll handle your situation with care and respect.
We want to make the process of notifying us as easy as possible, so when you are ready, choose an option that you are most comfortable with:
- By phone, call us on 13 81 51
We are available between Monday to Friday 8am – 8pm AEDT
and Saturday 9am – 5pm AEDT, excluding public holidays. - By emailing deceased.estates@boq.com.au
- For Virgin Money Credit Card customers, please refer to the Credit Cards tab.
Where possible, it will help us if you have the information below available when you notify us:
- Your loved one's date of birth and date of death
- Your contact details and how you were related to your loved one
- Any details you already have of any account(s) your loved one has with us.
Credit Cards
If your loved one has a credit card, you will need to provide us with additional documents to what has been outlined below.
Please refer to the Credit Cards tab to access a list of the documents and review important information about what happens to these accounts.
Accessibility
We understand you may prefer to speak to us in a language other than English. If you would rather speak to us in another language, we can arrange for an interpreter to help you when you call us.
If you are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech impairment, we welcome calls through the National Relay Service.
For more information, visit our accessibility support page.
What do I need to provide?
When you notify us of the passing of your loved one, we will need some documents from you.
We will ask you to provide certified copies of Proof of Death documents such as:
- Death certificate
- Medical certificate
- Solicitor or coroner's letter
- Police report.
Anyone can notify us of the loss of a loved one. However, before we can share information about your loved one’s accounts, you will need to be an authorised representative of their estate.
We will ask you to provide certified copies of:
- a signed Will naming you as the executor; or
- if there is no Will a death certificate naming you as the next of kin.
Unless you are already a bank customer, we will need to identify you and will need acceptable photo identification such as:
- Australian driver's licence
- Passport
- Proof of age card.
If there are several Representatives, for example, joint executors appointed in a Will, then we will need to identify both executors.
We may also ask for certified copies of:
- Grant of Probate
- Letters of Administration.
At any point in time, you can appoint a legal representative to act on your behalf. Your legal representative will need to provide us with the documents outlined above.
What happens after you notify us?
To prevent unauthorised activity and to keep your loved one’s account(s) secure, we will make changes on any accounts and services held in the sole name of your loved one.
This will include:
Online and Mobile Banking
Removing online and mobile app banking access.
Transaction and Savings Accounts
Placing a hold on all accounts, which will restrict debit and credit payments, removing signatory access to these accounts, cancelling all direct debits and transfer orders and cancelling visa/debit card access.
Any credit payments to the account, after the hold is placed on the account, will be returned to the sender.
Any interest on savings accounts will still be paid until the account is closed.
We can provide the Representative with a list of all the recurring payments and direct debits for each transaction and savings account.
If the account has any recurring payments on a Debit card (such as subscription services, utility bills, mobile phone bills), you will need to contact the merchant or service provider to cancel these payments or make alternative payment arrangements.
If your loved one holds other accounts with BOQ Group (BOQ, BOQ Specialist, BOQ Finance or ME Bank), then we will support you in identifying and managing these accounts. We will also let you know what the next steps are before we release funds held in the accounts.
Joint Accounts
The joint account holder can continue to operate joint transaction and savings accounts if the other account holder has passed away. We will transfer the joint accounts into the name of the surviving joint account holder(s) once we obtain a certified copy of a Proof of Death document.
Home Loans
If your loved one held a Home Loan in their sole name, then we will remove any redraw access available to these accounts. Interest on the loan will continue to accrue until the loan is paid out. You can contact the Deceased Estates Team on 1300 406 372 to discuss options to pay out and close the loans.
Joint Home Loans
The other joint borrower(s) and or the Estate will need to continue making loan repayments. Interest on the loan will continue to accrue until the loan is paid out. You can contact the Deceased Estates Team on 1300 406 372 to discuss options such as paying out and closing the loan or refinancing/restructuring the loans.
If you are worried you can't pay what you owe, won't be able to manage your upcoming repayments, or if you are having difficulty meeting your repayments – we are here to help. For more information on how to apply for Financial Difficulty Assistance, visit https://virginmoney.com.au/help/support-and-assistance
Credit Cards
NAB as the issuer of Virgin Money Australia Credit Cards have additional documents that are required from you when you notify us of the passing of your loved one.
Download or view the Virgin Money Credit Cards - Additional Information factsheet pdf for more information.
Once you have notified us of the loss of your loved one, we will place a permanent hold on their credit card account(s). All credit payments will still be allowed into the account(s).
Once we have received an official notification of death, we will reverse any interest and fees that may have been charged from the date of death. We will also block the account from further spending.
If a balance is owed, the Estate is required to pay and we will send you a letter confirming the balance as at the date of death, along with the most recent statement, which includes payment details. If no balance is owed, we will simply close the account and send a letter confirming this. If the account is in credit, we will send a cheque where the amount is $5 or more to the executor of the estate, along with a letter explaining why they are receiving the cheque.
Direct Debits and Recurring Transactions
We will be able to provide a list of all the direct debit transactions and recurring payments for the past 13 months on all accounts to an eligible representative of the deceased estate.
Please contact us on 13 37 39 if you would like to arrange this or if you would like assistance with the cancellation of the direct debit transactions on request.
Virgin Money Australia, a division of Bank of Queensland Limited ABN 32 009 656 740,Australian Credit Licence 244616 (“BOQ”), promotes and distributes the Virgin Money Credit Cards ("Credit Cards"). National Australia Bank Limited ABN 12 004 044 937 Australian Credit Licence 230686 (“NAB”) is the credit provider and issuer of the Credit Cards.
Our/us/we/The Virgin Money Credit Cards Team means NAB unless the context otherwise requires it. BOQ does not and will not guarantee or otherwise support NAB’s obligations under the contracts or agreements connected with the Credit Cards.
Who can access the deceased customer’s account details?
Only the “eligible representative” will be able to access information on the account, after we have received and verified the required documentation. The following people can act as the eligible representative:
- Executor(s)/Administrator(s)
- Next of Kin
- Solicitors acting on behalf of the Deceased Estate
- Public Trustees acting on behalf of the Deceased Estate
Funeral and estate expenses
You can ask us to pay funeral and Estate related expenses from your loved one’s accounts if there are sufficient funds available in the accounts.
These expenses may include funeral costs, government payments and costs to protect the Estate (e.g. insurance).
To arrange for the release of funds, you can contact the Deceased Estates Team on 1300 406 372. You will need to provide a copy of the original invoice in the name of your loved one or in the name of the Estate of the Late.
If you are a Representative and want us to reimburse you for expenses you have paid, then we will need a copy of the original tax receipt/s.
If the account has insufficient funds for the full payment of the expenses, then the balance in the account/s can be used as a part payment of the bill. The account will then be closed once the payment is made.
Finalising the estate
Key Documents and Terms
We have provided some helpful information and supporting links to help you with the documents you require.
You can contact the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages in the state or territory where your loved one’s death was registered.
Usually only a person named as the spouse, partner, parent or child of the person who has passed away can apply for a death certificate.
For more information, for each state refer here:
If you have not been told where the latest Will is located and you cannot find it at your loved one’s home, ask their solicitor, accountant, financial advisor, other family members or close friends if they know of its whereabouts.
If they have not left a Will, they are considered to have died intestate. Letters of Administration may be needed in this case.
A Grant of Probate is a document issued by the Supreme Court that confirms the validity of a Will and authorises the Executor(s) to act.
Letters of Administration may be granted by the Supreme Court giving authority to an administrator to finalise the estate (these are commonly granted where there isn't a valid Will or no Will).
For more information, and on the process of obtaining either a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration for each state, refer to the below:
- •ACT
- •NSW – Probate
- •NSW – Letters of Administration
- •NT
- •QLD
- •TAS
- •VIC
- •WA
- SA https://www.courts.sa.gov.au/civil-cases/probate/
Other organisations that can provide assistance and support
Losing a love one can be incredibly difficult and there is external support available to help. We have provided a list of support available to you during this difficult time.
Grief Counselling
Lifeline
- Call them on 13 11 44
- Visit their website
Grief Australia
- Call them on 1800 642 066
- Visit their website
Beyond Blue
- Call them on 1300 224 636
- Visit their website
FAQs and Glossary of Terms
What is an Estate of the Late Account?
An Estate of the Late Account is a bank account that can be opened by Executors or Administrators. It is used to manage the financial affairs of the estate including receiving and holding funds related to the estate.
This account allows the Executors or Administrators to distribute the estate assets and manage any estate related expenses.
What if I am an attorney appointed under a Power of Attorney for a person who has passed away?
A Power of Attorney is no longer valid, and we can no longer provide you with information or access to their accounts and services unless you are an identified Estate representative.
This will also apply if you were a signatory on their account or acted as a financial administrator for the person who has passed away.