Banks and other financial institutions will freeze accounts that are titled in the dece­dent’s name alone.  You will need a tax release, death certificate, and Letters of Authority from Probate Court to have access to the account.  A joint account with a surviving spouse will not be frozen and will remain fully and immediately available to the surviving spouse. A joint account, with someone other than a spouse, will be frozen if the account is greater than $25,000.  You will have access to ¾ of the account without a tax release.  The joint owner will need a death certificate and a tax release to gain access to any account larger than $25,000.