How to close a PayPal account of someone who died?

Don’t have your loved one’s PayPal account login information? Don’t worry.

PayPal is a platform where you link your credit card (or bank account) to securely make and receive payments worldwide.

Note: PayPal will only follow the instructions of the executor of the decedent’s estate.

To close the PayPal account of a deceased person, it is necessary to send the following documents to PayPal by email to atendimento@paypal.com or by fax to 001-866-270-5509 in Mexico.

Required Documents

• A letter from the Applicant (or a person duly designated or authorized to administer the estate of the deceased client) identifying the account by the primary email address and requesting closure of the PayPal account.
• A copy of the account holder’s death certificate.
• A copy of a government-issued photo ID (such as a driver’s license, passport or state-issued ID) of the Applicant.
• Legal documentation or copy of the will identifying the executor of the estate.
• A letter specifying what to do with the money remaining in the account.

PayPal will then review the documentation and the account. And it will inform you how to proceed to release the amounts, if any.

Based on PayPal’s analysis, you may be able to withdraw any remaining amount in the account in one of the following three ways:

• Transfer the balance to the bank account associated with the PayPal account.
• Transfer the balance to a PayPal account in the name of the executor.
• Issue a wire transfer.

Learn more about how to close an account here: https://www.paypal.com/mx/smarthelp/article/How-do-I-close-the-PayPal-account-of-a-relative-FAQ1694

PayPal only deals with the executor

This is where it differs from the social networks, and it is worth knowing before wasting time. PayPal will not deal with just any relative: it only takes instructions from someone who can prove they are the executor or administrator of the estate. There is money inside the account, so the filter is stricter.

What paperwork to gather

• A cover letter identifying the account by its primary email address and requesting the closure.
• A copy of the death certificate.
• Your government-issued photo ID.
• The legal document naming you as executor, or a copy of the will where you appear.

If there is a balance left

The balance is not lost and PayPal does not keep it: it becomes part of the estate and is released through the same process. That is exactly why the request demands legal standing rather than just a family relationship.

Check as well whether there were subscriptions or recurring payments charged to that account. This is how families end up paying for services months later without noticing.

Because the process and the contact channels vary by country, confirm the current procedure in PayPal’s help centre for your country before sending any documents.

You may also want the guide on how to close accounts after the death of a loved one and the one on what happens to a bank account when someone dies.

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