Joint Account after Death

Shellie19721

Hi, My father has recently passed away and still has a joint account with his deceased wife ( who was my step mother).
I am administrating his estate as he has no will and mimimal assets but been told by the bank I can’t deal with the joint account and if I notify them of my fathers death the funds in the joint account are transferred into his late wife’s name.
Could someone please advise me if this is correct.
Thanks

Reed_Richards

It would be correct if she was still alive but if she pre-deceased him then the funds belong to your father. You might need to show the bank copies of the two death certificates to prove this.

Shellie19721

Hi,
I have offered the bank my step mother’s death certificate but they say her next of kin need to deal with it.
I am not in contact with them and I am concerned if I get them involved they will want the small amount of money that’s in the account.
I am keen to have access to this money as I require it to pay the funeral and admin cots for the estate.
Any idea how I tackle the bank.

Freecall

I think that you need to go back to the bank and try again, you may need to speak with a more experienced supervisor.

The bank account and its contents would have become the property of your father at the moment of his wife's death. The death would have been an issue of fact evidenced by the death certificate, it does not need 'dealing with' as such.

For practical purposes the bank my want additional information or documents but it has nothing to do with any 'next of kin' she may have had.

Reed_Richards

Shellie19721 wrote: »

Hi,
I have offered the bank my step mother’s death certificate ...
Any idea how I tackle the bank.

Show them your step mothers' death certificate and your father's death certificate. make them look at the dates and if the person you are talking to does not understand ask to speak to somebody more senior.
Now the bank may come to accept that the money in the account belonged to your father but whether they will let you have access to it is another matter. Normally you would apply for probate and you would then show the bank papers to prove that you were the administrator of the estate. If the estate is of very small value, less than £5,000 I think, then you may not need to apply for probate but the bank will still require some proof that you have a right to the money in the account before they will let you have it.

xylophone

A standard joint account becomes the property of the other account holder(s) on the death of one party to the account.

Example

https://ask.barclayswealth.com/help/international/bereavement/joint-accounts/joint-account

https://personal.natwest.com/personal/life-moments/bereavement/how-to-let-us-know.html

It would have been good practice for your father to have advised the bank of his wife's death.

Mojisola

Shellie19721 wrote: »

I am keen to have access to this money as I require it to pay the funeral

If the Funeral Director submits the invoice for the funeral direct to the bank, it can be paid without going through you.

fjh

Most high street banks have an Estates department, if branch cannot help call main bank number and ask for that dept , they will sort it out .

Flobberchops

There should be no way one could hold a *joint* account with a deceased person. At the time of their death, it would become a sole account in the surviving party's name.


It sounds like you're dealing with somebody who's either being awkward or incompetant at the bank. I don't believe there is any requirement to be next of kin to inform a bank of a death. Indeed in my experience the notifying party will often be care home staff, a member of the clergy, a charity worker, a friend, and so on. Sure, the bank can only release the funds to the next of kin, but anybody can notify them of the death.


If you come armed with both death certificates, hopefully common sense will prevail and they will see which order the parties died. If you want to really idiot-proof the process, notify them of the deaths, one at a time?

LHW99

Sure, the bank can only release the funds to the next of kin

Not entirely correct - the bank will release funds to whoever deals with probate / administration, if they have the appropriate documents even if they are not related - otherwise solicitors etc would be unable to deal with estates. Only releasing to next of kin would only come in if there is a small estate, which is at such a level that even letters of administration are not required.

polymaff

Have you made an application for, and been granted, a grant of letters of administration (an official document, issued by the court, which allows administrators to administer the estate)?

If not, you need to as, until you have the letters of administration, the bank - and anyone else - can refuse to deal with you - irrespective of the amount involved. (Different banks have different thresholds)