A joint account is a bank account shared between two or more individuals. Joint accounts are most likely to be used by relatives, couples, or business partners who have a level of familiarity and trust with each other. It typically allows anyone named on the account to access funds within it. There are multiple ways accounts can be established, each with its own implications for how money or assets can be accessed within the account or how the contents of the account are handled after one of the joint holders passes away.