Detailed answer — step‑by‑step

1. Confirm the facts and collect documents

• Obtain multiple certified copies of the death certificate from the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics or the funeral home. Banks and card companies almost always require an official death certificate.
• Look for a will, safe‑deposit box, or any written instructions. A will often names an executor (personal representative).
• List known bank and credit card accounts and note any online access, joint account holders, or authorized users.

2. Notify banks and credit card companies immediately

Contact each financial institution, tell them of the death, and ask the institution to freeze or place a hold on the accounts pending documentation. This prevents further withdrawals or charges while you get the proper legal authority.

3. Determine whether probate or a small‑estate process is required

Kentucky probate procedures govern who can legally manage and distribute a decedent’s assets. If the decedent left a will, the named executor can file the will with the appropriate probate court to receive letters testamentary. If there is no will, a close relative can petition to be appointed administrator and receive letters of administration.

Small‑estate procedures may let a beneficiary collect certain assets without full probate in limited situations. For details on Kentucky probate law, see Kentucky Revised Statutes chapter on probate and administration at the Kentucky Legislature and basic probate information at the Kentucky Court of Justice:

• Kentucky Revised Statutes (search & chapters)
• Kentucky Court of Justice — Probate information

4. Get legal authority: letters testamentary or letters of administration

Financial institutions typically require official court documents proving someone is the estate’s personal representative. In Kentucky, after filing the will (if any) and the necessary petition with the probate court, the court issues letters testamentary (if there is a will) or letters of administration (if not). Present these letters plus a certified death certificate and your ID to the bank and card issuers to take control of accounts in the name of the estate.

5. If someone else is using the accounts

• Ask the bank to freeze the account and remove any unauthorized signatories or online access immediately. Provide the death certificate and, if you have them, any letters from the probate court.
• If the account holder has been removed assets or is continuing to use credit cards after death, that conduct may be civil conversion or criminal theft. Consider filing a police report so law enforcement documents the wrongdoing.
• If the person is an authorized user on a credit card (not a joint account owner), the issuer can usually remove the authorized user and close or reissue the account; authorized users don’t automatically inherit account ownership on death.

6. Pursue civil or criminal remedies if needed

If the person using the accounts refuses to stop or has taken funds, you can: (a) ask the bank to reverse transfers or restore assets if fraud is proven, (b) file a civil suit against the person for conversion or to compel an accounting, or (c) pursue criminal charges by reporting the theft to local law enforcement and your county prosecutor. Kentucky’s statutes on theft and related offenses are found in the Kentucky Revised Statutes; your local prosecutor’s office can advise on criminal referrals.

7. Protect credit and stop new accounts

• Contact the major credit bureaus to report the decedent’s death and dispute any fraudulent accounts opened in the decedent’s name. Placing a fraud alert or credit freeze can help prevent new accounts.
• Notify card issuers to close accounts or transfer them into the estate. Ask for transaction histories and copies of any signatures or change requests made after death.

8. Keep careful records and act promptly

Maintain written records of calls, who you spoke to, what documents you submitted, and any account numbers. Banks may refuse to reverse disputed transfers if you delay. Acting quickly preserves both civil and criminal remedies.

When you should get an attorney

Consider hiring an attorney if any of the following apply:

• Someone is stealing funds or refusing to turn over accounts after being asked.
• The estate is large or the asset transfers are complicated.
• Disputes among heirs or potential claims against the estate exist.
• You need help filing probate, obtaining letters, or pursuing litigation or criminal referrals.

An attorney can file for emergency relief, seek injunctive orders to stop further transfers, and represent the estate in civil actions or in working with law enforcement and the prosecutor.

Helpful hints

• Get several certified death certificates early. Banks, social security, investment firms, and other institutions want originals or certified copies.
• Ask each bank exactly what documents they accept to release funds (different banks require different paperwork).
• If the decedent had joint accounts, the surviving joint owner typically retains control, but funds that belong to the estate or that were removed by a third party may still be recoverable.
• Authorized users on credit cards are different from joint account holders. Authorized users cannot use post‑death charges as a defense if they were not permitted to do so.
• Immediately document unauthorized charges and request transaction histories in writing.
• If someone is living in the decedent’s home and using estate funds, call the police if you suspect theft and speak with a probate attorney about filing for an accounting and removal.
• Keep account numbers, statements, and communications organized in a folder. That documentation is vital if you need to sue or provide evidence to law enforcement.
• If you suspect identity theft, file reports with local police and the Kentucky Attorney General’s consumer protection office: ag.ky.gov — Consumer Protection.

Resources

• Kentucky Revised Statutes — search and text: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/Statutes/
• Kentucky Court of Justice — probate and estate information: https://courts.ky.gov/Legal-Help/Pages/Probate.aspx
• Kentucky Attorney General — consumer protection and identity theft: https://ag.ky.gov/consumer-protection
• Federal identity theft resources: https://www.identitytheft.gov