Bank release of EUR 5,000 for funeral costs

When someone dies, Belgian banks automatically block all accounts in the deceased's name. This is a legal duty intended to prevent misuse until the heirs are identified. But the law allows one important exception: a release of up to 5,000 euros for urgent costs, primarily the funeral.

What the law says

Since the act of 13 June 2010, a Belgian bank may, at the request of the spouse or legal cohabitant, release up to 5,000 euros from the joint or own accounts of the deceased, before the certificate or deed of inheritance is produced. The amount can never exceed half of the available balance at the time of death.

The rule is deliberately tight:

• only for urgent costs (funeral, hospital, current rent);
• only for the spouse or legal cohabitant, not children;
• invoice or order form in the name of the deceased or the spouse required;
• the bank is jointly liable if it releases more than allowed.

Other heirs who advance the funeral can later claim back from the estate, but receive no direct release at the bank.

What your bank does in practice

The practical sequence:

1. Notify the bank of the death with a death certificate extract. The bank then blocks the accounts.
2. Request the exceptional release through the form the bank sends or provides online.
3. Attach the funeral invoice (or other urgent invoice) in the name of the deceased or the spouse.
4. The bank pays directly to the funeral director or transfers the amount to the spouse.

Some banks (KBC, BNP Paribas Fortis, Belfius, ING) require a branch visit with an ID card and invoice. Others handle everything digitally via My Belfius or Easy Banking. Ask the fee: most charge 50 to 150 euros in estate file fees for handling the death, not for the release itself.

How big is the average funeral bill?

In Belgium in 2026, a funeral usually costs 4,000 to 8,000 euros, depending on choices:

• cremation without ceremony: 2,500 to 3,500 euros;
• cremation with ceremony: 4,000 to 6,000 euros;
• burial with headstone: 5,500 to 8,500 euros;
• luxury funeral or repatriation: 10,000 euros and up.

The 5,000 euros released therefore usually covers the basics, rarely all costs.

What if there is no spouse?

Then the bank can release nothing before the certificate or deed of inheritance is produced. Three options:

• an heir advances: keep the original invoice and claim reimbursement from the estate;
• municipal welfare (OCMW/CPAS) support: for an insolvent estate, the welfare office can pay and later claim against the legally responsible relatives;
• funeral insurance: an existing policy often pays the funeral director directly and bypasses the freeze.

Honest caveats

• The 5,000 euros is a cap, not an automatic right. The bank checks the balance and the nature of the invoice.
• The release reduces the estate by the same amount. It is not extra money; only an early payment to the spouse.
• If the spouse takes more than their legal share, they must pay back at the final partition.
• The bank may refuse if the balance is too low or the invoice does not meet the legal conditions.

Steps via Nalenta

In our file you get the bank letter template with the right wording, and we track in your timeline which invoice was filed when. For the full view of the bank account after death, see how to unblock the account.

Conclusion

Belgian banks may, and will, release up to 5,000 euros to the spouse for the funeral. Ask for it explicitly: it does not happen automatically. For other heirs or complex cases, it is better to advance the invoice and reclaim from the estate, or to activate a funeral insurance.