If my mother recently passed away without a Will and she had checking and savings accounts in hers and my brother’s name, who does the money belong to?
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If my mother recently passed away without a Will and she had checking and savings accounts in hers and my brother’s name, who does the money belong to?
My dad is still living.
Asked on January 15, 2017 under Estate Planning, Texas
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 7 years ago | Contributor
If it was, as you seem to describe, a joint account in her name and your brother's name, then when she passed away, it (and the money in it) became your brother's: when two people jointly own property with right of survivorship, which is the standard way joint accounts are set up, when one of the owners passes away, it becomes the sole property of the survivor.
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