Mr. Erasmo Ruiz Jr.

[erasmo634]

undefinedWhat is the name of your state? Washington. My mother-in-law passed away on May 30, 2005. She had been living and working in San Jose, CA. She did not own any property not even a car, other than a checking/savings account with a little over $1,000. She did not leave a will when she passed away and she was divorced. My wife is the only family member she has in the United States. When she passed away, we paid for the cremation and the everything associated with it. My mother-in-law has one daughter and three sons who are citizens of the Philippines. My wife has an original copy of the death certificate and wanted to close the bank account in my mother-in-law's name (back in San Jose, CA) so that we can send the money to my in-laws in the Philippines but was told that she could not do it. One of the bank employees said that maybe if my wife got a notorized power of attorney and the copy of the death certificate that might be enough to close the account. I do not think this will work. Any suggestions??

 

[Dandy Don]

She needs to file paperwork at the county courthouse probate court to become administrator of her mother's estate. She can check at the courthouse to see if there is maybe a special procedure for handling/expediting smaller estates. Soon after she files, she will receive a document called letters testamentary (she will need to purchase a certified copy of that document for about $13), and then she can provide that document to the bank and the bank will then issue the check.