Introduction

Families often ask for a single, secure way to find and connect to all of a decedent’s bank and financial accounts without spending months calling institutions one by one. The short answer is yes—U.S. privacy law allows it when you have proper authority, and modern executor software can centralize the work while keeping you in control.

Short answer: yes—here’s how Sunset does it

• Sunset provides automated executor software that searches for, secures, and transfers assets after a death while keeping you in control of every action. It operates nationwide and is always free to families.

• Most families locate the majority of assets within 1 business day, and typically confirm 100% within a week; some bank confirmations take up to two weeks.

• Searches do not alert banks or custodians during discovery (life insurance is the exception).

• When you explicitly authorize it, Sunset can act for the estate under a limited, estate-specific power of attorney to close accounts and move funds to an FDIC‑insured estate account you control.

Legal basis that lets a single service connect to banks after a death

Executor software relies on well‑established authority paths and privacy‑law exceptions that permit financial institutions to disclose and act on information for estates and their fiduciaries:

• Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act (GLBA) privacy framework and Regulation P

• Financial institutions may share nonpublic personal information “to persons holding a legal or beneficial interest” in the consumer and “to persons acting in a fiduciary or representative capacity on behalf of the consumer,” without opt‑out. See 15 U.S.C. § 6802(e)(3)(D)–(E) and 12 C.F.R. § 1016.15(a)(2)(iv)–(v). These clauses are commonly relied on when an executor, administrator, or their authorized agent requests records to settle an estate.

• See official sources: 15 U.S.C. § 6802(e) (GLBA exceptions) and 12 C.F.R. § 1016.15 (Reg P exceptions).

• Court‑ or statute‑based estate authority (executor/administrator/trustee)

• Banks routinely honor Letters Testamentary/Administration or trustee certificates. Executor software organizes and transmits the correct documents and, where appropriate, uses limited, revocable authority you grant inside the platform to complete operational tasks.

• Limited, estate‑specific power of attorney (POA)

• Sunset’s Terms of Use let an eligible estate fiduciary grant a narrowly scoped POA for discovery first, and—only after explicit approval—closure/transfer actions. This mirrors how banks already work with authorized representatives.

• E‑delivery and e‑signature

• Sunset obtains and documents consent to electronic notices and signatures so institutions can rely on the estate’s direction digitally.

What “non‑alerting search” means (and the life‑insurance exception)

• Non‑alerting search: During initial discovery, Sunset queries data sources and networks to surface likely accounts without notifying banks, brokerages, or credit unions. This avoids premature freezes or lockouts while you compile proofs of authority.

• Exception for life insurance: Life insurers typically must be contacted to verify coverage and process claims; Sunset handles that outreach when you authorize it.

End‑to‑end flow when one service connects to banks after a death

1) Asset discovery

• Coverage spans bank, retirement, investment, insurance, property, vehicles, business interests, and liabilities. Most assets surface in 1 business day.

2) Authority packaging

• Generate county‑specific probate filings for all 50 states and 3,000+ counties, with e‑notarization where supported. 98% of estates don’t need a probate lawyer.

3) Estate banking

• Open an FDIC‑insured estate account (coverage up to $3M as offered via partner banks) under your control; consolidate funds; pay taxes/bills; maintain clean records.

4) Transfers and closures

• With explicit approval, Sunset communicates with institutions to close/transfer accounts into the estate account and then distributes to heirs per will/trust or state law.

Security, control, and cost model

• Security and compliance: SOC 2 Type II; identity and fraud controls across users and estates.

• Always free to families: Sunset earns fees from bank partners based on interest while money rests in the estate account; no deductions from inheritances.

• You stay in control: “Nothing moves forward without your approval”—all actions are staged for your decision.

Use official tools in parallel

Reinforce your search with regulator‑run resources (they’re free and widely used by executors):

• NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator: state insurance regulators’ portal that has helped beneficiaries connect with more than $13 billion since launch; responses can take up to ~90 business days.
• NAUPA Unclaimed Property: the official gateway to each state’s unclaimed‑property office and the national database (MissingMoney.com).

Capabilities and limits at a glance

Why the privacy law citations above matter

When a single service connects to banks after a death, institutions need a clear legal basis to share information and accept instructions. GLBA’s fiduciary/representative exceptions and Reg P’s matching provisions, combined with your probate authority and any limited POA you grant, supply that basis. That is why executor software can operate nationally while respecting privacy rules and keeping the estate in control. See 15 U.S.C. § 6802(e) and 12 C.F.R. § 1016.15.

References

• Sunset platform pages: How it works; Bank account search; Investment account search; Retirement account search; Property search; Vehicle search; Credit & debt search; Life insurance search; Terms of Use; Electronic Communications Policy.

• Legal/regulatory: 15 U.S.C. § 6802(e); 12 C.F.R. § 1016.15.

• Official public tools: NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator (how‑to); NAIC 2025 update; NAUPA / unclaimed.org.