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St.George: deceased estate process & threshold

Updated 20 August 2026 · 5 minute read

What St.George does when a customer dies, how much it will release without probate, and the paperwork its estates team asks for — as at August 2026.

Case-by-caseReleased without probate (solely-held funds)As at August 2026
1300 130 549Bereavement / deceased estates contactstgeorge.com.au
1–3 wksTypical release time once paperwork is completeIndustry-typical

The threshold

St.George publishes no fixed threshold — releases are case-by-case, and in practice the process mirrors parent Westpac's $100,000 approach.

What happens when you notify

  1. Notify the estates team

    One notification covers every account. Solely-held accounts are frozen; joint accounts keep operating for the survivor; direct debits from sole accounts stop.

  2. The bank opens a deceased estate file

    You'll be sent the document checklist below and a reference for the file.

  3. Below the threshold: release on documents

    Certified paperwork plus the bank's release/indemnity form, and funds are paid out — typically inside 1–3 weeks.

  4. Above the threshold: the bank waits for the grant

    Once probate or letters of administration arrive, the bank releases to the executor or the estate account.

Documents St.George asks for

Worth knowing

Estates email estatesmanagement@stgeorge.com.au; overseas +61 2 9155 7590. Bank of Melbourne and BankSA follow the same Westpac Group process.

Even while accounts are frozen

Like most institutions, the bank can pay the funeral director's invoice directly from the deceased's account, and can release funds to cover probate filing costs — ask the estates team.

If a grant is needed after all

One over-threshold institution is enough to send the whole estate down the probate path. Start with how to apply and your state's page, or compare the other banks in the threshold table.

Over the threshold at St.George?

Fixed-fee probate quotes take two minutes, and the whole application runs remotely.

Get fixed-fee probate quotes
Does the threshold apply per account or in total?

In total per institution — all solely-held accounts at the bank are added together. Accounts at other banks are assessed separately by those banks.

Can I use the money for the funeral first?

Yes — invoice-direct payment to the funeral director is standard at virtually every Australian bank, even from frozen accounts.

How do I get certified copies?

A JP, pharmacist, police officer or solicitor can certify — free at most pharmacies and JP desks in shopping centres and courts.

Sources

  • St.George deceased estates page (stgeorge.com.au/help/deceased-estates/faqs), retrieved August 2026