Beneficiary payment into joint bank account?

nanapop1977

Is it legitimate to make a beneficiary's payment into a joint bank account please? Or do they need to have an account in their sole name?
Also is there a template online somewhere for a letter to use when distributing legacies and requesting a signed receipt for the payment?
Thanks in advance.

TonyMMM

Send them a cheque payable in their name only - they can then decide whether to pay it into a joint/sole account.

Robin9

The executors of my MIL confirmed the amount due by email and paid into our joint account and we acknowledged receipt by email.  Formal letters really are old school.

xylophone

Is it legitimate to make a beneficiary's payment into a joint bank account please?

Ask the beneficiary to make a request in writing for a direct payment to the account of his choice (whether sole or joint).

 Otherwise, draw a cheque in his sole name and send it with a letter. 

Dear ......

I enclose a cheque for £......  being the full amount of your legacy from the estate of the late.......

Please sign the attached receipt and return it to me  for my records - I enclose a stamped addressed envelope for this purpose.

Receipt of a legacy of £...... from the estate of the late.....

I (name) acknowledge the receipt of the above.

(Signature and date).

TBagpuss

If they ask you to, yes. ask them to tell you, in writing, the details of the account the they want the money paid to or the name(s) they want the cheque  made out to, then do as they request.  Keep their instructions, and the receipt, with your other records of the estate. 

Flugelhorn

when cousin and I distributed an estate to 9 beneficiaries, we just sent 7 cheques in sole name and our 2 were done by bank transfer. Goodness knows what accounts they paid them into but they sent us acknowledgements of receipt