Can I Get Money From a Deceased Person's Bank Account to Pay for the Funeral in Ontario?

Whether a bank will release money for a funeral before an estate trustee is appointed is generally a matter of the bank's own policy, so ask the bank directly and keep your receipts.

What the law does say is that, under a will, an estate is normally distributed only after assets are liquidated and the funeral and burial expenses and debts are paid. If the deceased held assets in a financial institution, the estate normally has to be probated. The same applies to real property that does not pass by survivorship. How this plays out with a particular bank depends on its own process. Funeral expenses cannot be deducted when calculating Estate Administration Tax.

If you pay for the funeral yourself, keep every receipt. The CPP death benefit can go to the person or institution that paid, or is responsible for paying, the funeral expenses. Funeral expenses cannot be deducted on the deceased's final tax return. Who is ultimately responsible for the bill, and whether the estate will reimburse you, depends on the facts, so a lawyer can confirm before you commit to paying.