Kontoinhaber

Kontoinhaber is the person or legal entity whose name is registered as the holder of a bank account or other financial account. The Kontoinhaber owns the account and is primarily responsible for its use and for meeting contractual obligations with the bank. In many cases the Kontoinhaber has the right to conduct transactions, view statements, and receive notices.

In practice, the term is widely used for checking accounts, savings accounts, and payment accounts; it can also apply to accounts with payment service providers or investment accounts. For joint accounts, there can be multiple Kontoinhaber (Mitkontoinhaber) with shared rights.

Rights and duties: The Kontoinhaber can authorize payments, set up standing orders, or grant power of attorney to others to act on the account. The Kontoinhaber bears responsibility for charges, terms compliance, and anti-money-laundering obligations; banks may require ongoing verification of identity.

Identification and regulation: When opening an account, financial institutions verify the Kontoinhaber's identity under KYC and applicable laws such as the Geldwäschegesetz. Data protection applies; information is processed according to privacy law.

Special cases: For minors, a legal guardian may act as Kontoinhaber or co-account holder; for corporations, accounts are opened in the company’s name with authorized representatives. In the event of death, access typically passes to heirs or is managed through probate, according to applicable succession rules and bank policies.

The term is used in German-speaking countries such as Germany, Austria, and Switzerland across various financial services.