Having recently been the executer of a will, I am familiar with the run around that banks dish out while they still are making money off of the deceased’s money.
Went through the same....but there are lots of fraudsters who will try and convince the bank that they are the rightful heirs or executors. The bank doesn’t know the people involved. Until one shows up with all the papers and documents, you are just a name at best, and a possible fraudster. The bank doesn’t want to get sued for giving out the decedents money to a fraudster
Any interest accrued by the account belongs to the estate or beneficiary as of the date of death, though.