Is there a dollar limit for banks? Does this trust belong to my daughter, or is it part of the estate, and therefore to be caught up in limbo during the probate? Safe Deposit Boxes You will need the key to any safe deposit box so you can list the contents and access any important documents it may contain. This is what the law says you are supposed to do. The bank will probably insist on having both signatures if the account is set up to require both signatures. He had a will.. If they still won't comply, you will probably have to hire a lawyer to write a letter to them for you.Lynne. You may have to show some of these to justify your expenses in the future.Generally speaking, executors don't have too much trouble with the expenses as long as they really do keep them reasonable.Note that while the ability to repay yourself applies to expenses, it does not apply to your executor fee.Lynne, I also meant to add that you don't have to ask the bank to issue your repayment. My sister had a chequing account and she passed away without a will 7 years ago. does this have to go through Probate? There are only two cheques to deposit and she never paid taxes, only received refunds due to low income. Hello Lynn,Is an executor allowed to pay expenses out of the estate account prior to probate being granted? I have received the probate, and can access to the Estate bank account, and wonder if I could just go to the bank and withdraw money for my reimbursement? My mother passed, without a will. I have having some real tough issues with TD Bank. Keep in mind though that when you present your accounting to the beneficiaries at the end of the estate, your expenses must show up there. They refuse to transfer the assets in those account over to the estate account until they receive the probated will. Can I relinquish my claim as beneficiary and have Empire Life send the money directly to my 2 brothers, thus avoiding probate? If it is simply her account, then you need to close it and open an estate account in your name as administrator. There were no investments just bank accounts in both our names, (my father and mine)so the money could pass seamlessly in the event of his passing. My father's house needs to be sold, we have to keep hydro on. Lynne. The money belongs in his estate, which has to be used to pay off any debts or taxes he might owe. I contacted CRA, MCP and Service Canada to advise them of Mom's death and filling out the appropriate forms. The strategy is usually accomplished through the writing of a Will and establishing Powers of Attorney and similar documents. Does anyone know if they are obligated to move assets over to the estate account, before the probated will is received? Estate accounts are 'prepared by the estate trustee'. My mom had around $800 000 of chequing and investment accounts. All the estate assets have since been liquidated and deposited to the CIBC estate account, and now CIBC has locked the funds and is refusing to distribute the funds until such time as each and every beneficiary appears at a branch of CIBC, identifies themselves with the previously provided ID's and signs the account application. If the executor is the beneficiary can they then use the estate funds for personal since all financial obligations will come to them anyway? Can I take the estate and go to another bank? She asked each bank was this a problem, each said it was not a problem. Working with banks can be tricky, because they don't offer their employees much training with respect to estates. Sometimes the bank will know about these, but sometimes you have to review old statements to figure it out. Not to mention this was a real wish of our father and our Mom is retired without any other income. You may not need to get probate. Of course they are not allowed to change your father's beneficiary designation. No, I don't think you can deposit it to your personal account or cash it. And has instructed the last lawyer to not do anything even though he's the one who sent it without tracking by regular mail. I am an only child. To me, this is more of a bank policy question than a legal question. Estate Planning. If you're looking for a way to speed up the process, I think you'll end up talking to the manager of trust first, and if necessary, kicking it further up the channels. The other is to ask the funeral home to wait until the house sells. Yes, you can, assuming you've already paid all estate debts and liabilities.Lynne. We listen to you and create a comprehensive plan that sets out how you will transition your wealth. What are the alternatives if a bank will not open an estate bank account without probate? She might have received wrong advice from a lawyer or from a banker. She also took forever to sell the property and never keeps us (or me) informed. Estate Plan: A written document that outlines an individual's strategy for the disposition and administration of their property at their death, incapacity or total disability. I am the sole executrix named in his will. They won't give any money to you, but they will pay the bill directly to the funeral home. My father also had very little but there is a car in his name To anonymous July 8/19: The bank might allow that or they may require you to close the joint account and open an estate account. Neither of those situations is ideal, but you can only work with the situation you're in.Lynne. As well I received a cheque from a class action (veterans affairs). Do I just issue cheques from the estate account and the cancelled cheque is proof? I am the executor or the estate and the sole beneficiary of the will. The primary focus of the Account Specialist, Real Estate is to prepare credit applications, actively participate in credit structuring, risk management and client facing support. i still have a joint back account that is open. Our lawyer said there was no need to probate as the will clearly spells out who the beneficiary is and there is only the savings account which would be used to pay expenses and the rest to the beneficiary. Hello Lynne, If an executor is aware that the total value of an estate is over $100k, but values are from multiple sources (i.e. But the bank refuse to do this. So the only money is what was left in her account and this Estate Cheque from the funeral home. Hi Lynne,I have a question. My father had a joint investment account with my sister with a right of survivorship which held shares and cash which the bank has put into her name to deal with as she sees fit. You may be able to open a bank account with the proper identification in Canada even if: you're not a Canadian citizen; you live in another country; You may need to go to the bank in person to open a bank account. He had all the necessary documents but I guess in their mind the estate was not worth their time. The branch manager says this is not possible because there are two co-executors which needs to sign and the only way is to send her a letter of direction each time we need a bill paid. Lynne- Using the example from Marsha: Can the account have links to automatic bill payments with registered companies, so all three trustees don't need to be in person to pay every single bill? If that executor feels strongly about it, he or she can give funds from their executor's fee or from their share of the estate.Lynne. Once the funeral arrangements have been made and all interested parties informed of the death, one of the first things the executor must do is deal with the bank accounts of the deceased: Finding out what banks, credit card companies, and other financial institutions the deceased dealt with, notifying them that you are the executor, and determining the details of assets in all accounts. Her affairs are simple and the estate is modest. Unfortunately there is no law I can draw on to give you permission to by-pass the legal requirements of estate administration.Lynne. Other terms for estate representative include estate trustee, executor, liquidator and administrator. I received a cheque made payable to the Estate of my son with my name as well. I'd suggest sitting in with your banking officer and having a chat. If you are the executor, it's up to you to decide whether you want to take the personal risk of releasing money. It's never speedy at the best of times, but it will be longer if there is confusion over who is supplying what papers.Lynne, Hi Lynne,My Step daughter has an estate check for her and my son. My mother's partner has 3 sisters and a brother whom her partner didn't get along with and didn't have much to do with them. Given that there was no will, no spouse, and no other children, the chances of anyone else appearing are next to nothing. We have an appointment with the bank (RBC) tomorrow to open an estate account in order to deposit this check. I have challenged them on this, and they keep telling me there is no estate department (I know this aint true, I have spoken with the estate department). You can't just add your name to an existing account, as that would suggest that your sister is alive and you two are joint owners, which obviously cannot be the case.This is the only thing that makes sense to me in the context of your question. You can open an estate bank account after initiating probate and petitioning the court for formal recognition as executor or administrator. Empire Life is right, in my opinion. As the executor I am just starting the estate work. Just be sure to keep detailed records of what came in and how you used the funds so that you can explain it all later.Lynne, My mother was killed suddenly and although she requested I be her executor she neglected to sign her will properly. My question is does the bank have to wait for the probate to go through before selling the investments? These accounts are useful to avoid probate and are common in the US. The mortgage has been paid from my father in laws account since he has passed in October. Can Laurentienne refuse to transfer the funds from my decesased uncle's account to BMO? Is there any reason why my sister would not be able to transfer to me half of the shares and cash in the investment account at this time? My three sisters and I are the beneficiaries, however my mother had no assets and lived with us. However, what do you mean by joint wills? Do I have to apply to Alberta Surrogate Court to have the will proven as valid before applying for probate? Are you asking why you have to get probate (aka Certificate of Appointment)?Lynne. Lynne. On to your question. Is there a time limit on how long an estate account can stay open? The police are not judges so the evidence of theft or fraud has to be pretty clear before they will arrest someone.You are right that it costs money to enforce your rights. He most likely didn't have a will at his age, so his beneficiary would be his wife, and if he didn't have a wife then his children, and if he didn't have children, then his parents.Lynne. Given that the amount of funds in question is substantial, I wouldn't be surprised if they tell you they want probate.The bank might give your mother a break on this requirement, especially if she continues to keep all of her investments and accounts with them.Lynne. I have all the receipts and this will be documented in the final accounting but I realize this may not entirely be legal. Not the same thing. I went to deposit them and was told by CIBC that they drained the account and closed it 5 months after death? Is it different when somebody has no chequing/savings accounts? I am the sole executor and beneficiary of my deceased husband. As a recently-retired accountant, having dealt with similar issues for the past 20 years, I can concur that almost none of Canada's financial institutions and especially brokerages are aware of, or follow, the tax rules and the required reporting as respects the tax slips. I've been advised by the bank they need to "take" a copy of the original will.Why do they need to copy it and send it to their estate dept.? Isn't it the point? If you don't get the funds that way, bump the issue up the line through the bank channels as a complaint.Lynne. However, that is none of the bank's business. I am executor for an estate of someone who lived and died in Alberta. Instead I seem to be stuck mingling assets with my own money, which seems like a terrible idea. I attempted to open an estate bank account along with my co-executor and was told I would have to wait until the Court issues the probate letters. Probate is slow because her state pension came from UK along with a small occupational pension. She was living with me and we have a joint bank account. What do I need to do to prove that I am the only beneficiary?thanks. My mother-in-law passed away one month ago, she was in an assisted living apartment. The problem was resolved in a day after I fired off a couple of nasty emails to RBC's client centre, Trust wing and Ombudsman. Even the bank manager was surprised they had no mechanism to inform clients. Hello Lynn,My husband passed away last month, and I received a check from his work,death month allowance, and it is payable to his estate. Scotiabank's Getting There Savings Program for Youth is one of the best youth accounts in the country. Either you were joint executors, or one was named executor and the other as alternate. I am both executor of her "estate", as well as POA and sole beneficiary. You are the one with the liability and the responsibility so tell them to back off and let you do your job. Waste of time.It takes sometimes up to a year or more to probate a Will, but bills need to be paid before that. Excellent blog and thank you for writing the Self-Counsel press document "How Executors Avoid Personal Liability" in BC, published in 2014. She isn't in the running here. Hello Lynn,I'm setting up an estate account for my mother. The cheque is not payable to your mom, but to her estate. There are no inheritance or estate taxes in Canada. It may seem inconvenient but there reasons for it, not the least of which is who is earning any interest on the account.Keep in mind that in law, that joint bank account belongs to your father, not to you, but that's a story for another post.Since I know nothing at all about your father, his marital situation, his assets, his debts, or anything else, I really couldn't say what you need to do. Make sure you have provided everything they asked for. As far as the bank is concerned, your father's account is still HIS account and not an estate account until the probate has come through. Please help. I have had a couple cheques come to me for the estate. Yes, all executors' names must be on it. Every time I get another unsatisfactory response causes more stress at an already difficult time. Now the will have been pronated and the bank has all information requested but will not release the money to the estate account because they want to keep it to cover the mortgage (with the same bank). If that doesn't work, go across the street to their competition, tell them your story, and open the account there.Lynne. HI Lynn, My case is very complicated,it started with the land my mum bought 5 acres of land in Fiji and she got her first cousin Vana to handle things to sell the land which mum got many offers even for $450,000.00 but mum trusted her daughter-in-laws family the lawyer she hired and her cousin in Fiji.when our beloved mother passed away notary Sublock Sublock never even got mum to sigh her Will even though we paid $170 fee for that one home visit Mr.Sublock refused to help us and we sent mum's old Will which was Notarized and the Fiji Courts refused to accept it and my dad was next of kin now they said Vana and fiji lawyer Ulamila Tuipuku said that my dad needs to do a Probate and I sent $3,500 for court/lawyer/probate and months down the road Vana and Ulamila said that the court won't accept the Probate that they wanted her in my Dad's WIll which he "WE HAD A DEAD LINE OR LOSE THE LAND " we said that was crazy and we went through with that and so so and we went through Mr. Sablock again because he had the history regarding the land and my mum's information etc.My dad wanted to sell the land because there was squatters on the land and two churches was already built on land without permission and you wonder who was minding the place.When I made an offer to a performance on the land Vana was so upset she was yelling and I said okay you have 6 weeks and she said she already had the money and we'll we waited and waited for the paper work.When I tried from May 2012 til Feb 2013 to get the lawyer to send papers yo sell the land she was making all kinds of excuses and we sent thousands of dollars for court cases and the land .The thing is after my dad passed away the first thing Vana said is remember that I'm the excutor on the Will and no one can go above me and I was do she said none of your kids can go above my head and this just to show she knew what she was doing .We'll after all that she said that the land is in her name and the lawyer who was supposed to be working for my dad was working for her and went against both my parents. How can he sign papers, cheques if he is not physically able to do so? Keep the concept of the executor's year in mind. I don't know what you've got in mind when you mention recourse. There are RSP's that are to be transferred into the estate account to help pay for the funeral. Through the firm that handled my mothers taxes we have filed and received a refund for her 2017 taxes. One bank in which the deceased has an account and who also know my mom from frequently coming to the bank as she was not an online banker are paying the bills as the moment for the house. You don't have to wait for anything but the cheque to clear. I'm so sorry to hear about your son. Thanks Lynne! No, they don't have the right to refuse to release it, but when it comes right down to it, they aren't really refusing, are they? i have a will, am the executor, and can open an estate account if necessary. Thanks! You said they are waiting for a form to be received at the bank, but from whom? We have cheques to deposit, but dont know where to put them now. Do I have to go open an estate account for,this one cheque. TD gave him such a hard time. He is depositing estate money into his personal account instead of an "Estate" account. Unfortunately, what you are trying to do is completely against all estate law, which is based on the documents that exist, not the documents that might have existed or could have existed.Your father left the RRSP beneficiary form with named beneficiaries. I (probate granted estate trustee with a Will, and I am also the residuary beneficiary) opened 2 estate accounts for my mother's estate last year. the cheque was made payable to the estate. I am an accountant and excutor of my wife's aunt estate. The sole real asses, a condo, sold in December of 2018. To open any bank or investment account, you'll need a taxpayer ID number for the estate, which is itself a taxpayer. A friend passed and named myself or my husband executor and also sole beneificiaries. There are 5 of us siblings and my 4 siblings have all agreed that I would take care of Mom's account. I cant help but think that the financial advisor was incompetent and forgot to file the paperwork as I have been told too many conflicting stories. While I find this admirable in spirit, I am concerned as an executor whether executors can in fact make gifts that are not specifically covered in the will, especially as there are other residual beneficiaries involved. Mum's UK state pension was overpaid by 1 week, having finally received notice of the amount, I now have to reimburse that myself because RBC refuses. The bank says that the 3 kids are the beneficiaries of the RSPs so why do you feel that you can legally put that money into the estate account? I am sole trustee on an estate, appointed by Superiour Court (Ontario). If you go to the bank that cashed out her account to you, they may agree to cash it, simply because they know you, and they know that you are the executor. I have just received her CPP funeral benefits paid to the estate as we were unaware her will had not been signed correctly until after the funeral. TD does not and all transactions must be processed in person. Sorry.my question is actually can I deposit this cheque to my account or cash it? So far I have issued one cheque to myself and one to my sister in equal amounts, (as will states it is 50-50 between us) and we are leaving several thousand in the account to cover bills as they come in. I could look at them online, print transaction records, and transfer funds in or out if necessary or as required. Utter incompetence on their part considering they should have informed me of this long ago. Therefore she can open the account, receive funds on behalf of the estate, pay bills etc all before she gets the probate.Lynne. The only thing going to probate is her house which was only in her name. The local manager was extremely helpful in rescanning the problem documents but now I must wait up to 10 business days until this is approved! I was advised around that time by the branch manager that an account estate should be opened by the first week of August.It is now August 8 and there is still no estate account. Getting the will to Probate is going to take a bit of time. If you don't have to go through probate, then by all means, don't. If you're using a bank account, you'd have to do the deposits and payments etc yourself but you wouldn't be paying legal fees on those transactions.I have occasionally used my trust account in this way but it's usually for a specific reason such as co-executors who don't work well together and want a neutral third person as a buffer. If you want to discuss the case with me, call my office at 79-221-5511 and make an appointment for a telephone conference at your convenience. In my view, you are doing exactly what is supposed to happen - even though the accounts are in joint names, you are treating the accounts as assets of the estate. I received a letter to say that Mom didn't qualify for the Canada Pension Death Benefit as she didn't pay in for enough years. Use any other estate funds you have been able to gather, such as the CPP death benefit or the sale of household contents. If he will not clean it up voluntarily, you might consider asking the court to remove him. My question is this cheque can ONLY be deposited into the estate account( we still have one set up) and not a personal account correct?Thank you so much. This had to go to their Head Office and it would take about 2 weeks. There isn't an estate department in the branches, but there is one in Toronto.If you have Letters of Administration, you now have the right to collect the deceased's assets. It's a lot of money for me when there are no assets. 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