Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Bank Accounts

My mother recently died. She had a small bank account solely in her name. Will I need to go to court for an order appointing me as the executor in order to close the account?

That’s often what the bank will tell you. But the bank is probably wrong. Even if the account was solely in her name, it does not mean a probate will be necessary. That will depend on the overall value of assets which were only in her name at her death (see answer to FAQ regarding probate).

“It is the trade of lawyers to question everything, yield nothing, and to talk by the hour.”

- Author: Thomas Jefferson