In most cases you don't need to write a letter. You empty the account by writing yourself a check or withdrawing the funds, or getting a cashier's check. You then inform a banker that you no longer need that account and it's already been emptied out (this way they know you've maid up your mind and the money is gone already, so they don't try to talk you into staying). Make sure you get something from them, like a printout and watch your statements until they stop coming to make sure that the balance is zero. Sometimes a less experienced banker will try to close an interest bearing account without giving you the interest accrued so far for that month, which results in the account having a slight positive balance at the end of the statement cycle, instead of having a zero balance, and not actually closing, then the next month the monthly charge hits, taking you into the negative, and it snowballs from there if you are not watching the statements.. . If you are closing the account by phone, empty the account first, then call the company and tell them the funds are withdrawn, you no longer want the account, please close it. Get the name/time/phone number so that you have proof of this conversation. They might ask you to send a letter. Usually a letter like that needs to be notarized to make sure it was really you that signed it. The letter would look like this:. . ". November 20, 2006. . . From: John Doe. 111 W Something Ave. Something, AZ 85032. (602) 555-3333. . To: Customer Service Department. Bank of Something. P.O. Box 111. Something, CA 90555. (800) 555-1111. . Re: Account Closure Request. . . Dear Something Bank Representative,. . Please close my account number 1234455-4546 with your bank, effective immediately. I have found that I no longer need this account and have already withdrawn funds from it.. . Thank you for your help.. . Sincerely,. . . John Doe. Something, AZ. ". . If you don't have checks for that account, you'll want to include in that paragraph "please send a check for the full value of my account, made payable to John Doe, to my home address listed above, then close the account." You'll then take it to your new bank and sign it in the presence of a notary, most banks don't charge their customers to do this.. . One word of caution. The reason that I recommend you getting a printout or a record of a conversation is because some bank employees accidentally, or sometimes willfully forget to close your account. It may sit there, accumulating monthly charges. Then you may move and not update the address with this bank because you thought you were done with them, the charges keep accumulating, until you get a collections call for several hundred dollars, at which point, you are stuck with paying the money or it will ruin your credit. It is also possible that an autodebit you've set up at one point will hit the account before it's fully closed, resulting in overdrafts, etc. Your monthly AOL charge that you may have forgotten to turn off, can cost you a lot after overdraft charges. That's why I'd get proof of closure and monitor the remaining statements until they stop.. . Hope this helps. Please e-mail me if you have any questions.