Depositing tax refund from deceased father's estate

[squidlady]

Hello, My dad died last year. I've been filing his taxes for him for years with TT, electronically. This year I filed for him again but had to print and mail the taxes since I had to include Form 1310.

The IRS mailed me the tax refund check. My name (I am the only child/heir/executor) appears first. His name appears next, with "DECD" (deceased) after it.

Thank you TT for making this simple. I only have one question now, HOW do I ENDORSE this check so I can deposit it? Just my name? My name as executor? My name and "for dad's name"?

Thank you! 

[M-MTax]

You'll have to ask the bank and it might not be at all simple. They may require a death certificate or other documentation or the might not allow it to be cashed at all. You might have to file another 1310 with the check and request the check be made payable to you ONLY. I'm surprised that didn't happen since you filed a 1310 and normally the check is made payable to the personal filing the 1310.

[squidlady]

Hi and thank you, I was afraid of that! I was planning to bring the D.C. to the bank when I went in to make the deposit.

I'll report back here when I've been to the bank.

[fanfare]

If you are depositing into your father's Estate Bank Account, as you should, there will be no problem.

You endorse it as <Your name> EX or 

<Your name> ADM

[squidlady]

Thank you - what does "EX" and "ADM" stand for? Executor? and ?

As I read your answer again, I realize maybe I should not have said "estate" at all  - I filed his taxes for him (with a cover letter) - it was his individual income tax. The estate itself is already settled.

Does this impact how I sign the check?

I realize I'll probably have to ask at the bank, just wanted to get a head start here. Thank you.

[fanfare]

The estate is settled.

If you closed the Estate Bank Account right away, that is a mistake.

You would need it if anything came up, like an Income Tax refund check.

Or any other Assets or  Income that may have been overlooked or not yet paid out.

EX- Executor

ADM - Administrator

when properly filed, a last tax return refund is made payable to "Estate of <deceased>"

[squidlady]

Hi - we never opened an estate bank account. The estate was the house, and it is sold. There are no other assets. I have all the paperwork proving this. (A lawyer handled this for me)

So knowing this, and that I really goofed when I asked my question (Have modified the title now) - can I deposit this check into the (regular) bank account which still has both our names (mine and Dad's)? If so, how do I sign?

Thank you.

[squidlady · Accepted solution]

Update - SO FAR, so good. I took the check and my paperwork to my bank. They scanned in my Letters Testamentary - and had me endorse the check exactly as it was written. I deposited it into the account which has both my name and my father's (I've kept that particular account open for purposes such as these). 

As of now, the check has cleared.

Thank you for your input and I hope this thread helps someone else as well. If I have any issues with the check going forward, I'll post here.