To ask what happens re joint accounts when one party dies

[LakieLady]

My DP died very suddenly this morning.

My BIL has rather freaked me out by telling me that the joint a/c will be fozen. This will make things really a bit difficult, and I was under the impression that the other party just takes over the account and that there's no need for probate or anything.

DP has about £10k in savings in his own account, and I'm sure that's below the threshold for probate, but I don't know if I'll need letters of administration or anything.

Any advice much appreciated.

Sorry for your loss x When my mother in law died we found the bereavement advisers from the bank very helpful and kind .

Sorry for your loss OP. I live in Ireland but was with a UK headquartered bank when DF died - he had a joint account with DSis in that bank and it went straight to her. I am certain this is what happens to all joint account. Could you call the bank?

@MorrisZapp

Oh you poor thing, such sad news. Sending love and hugs your way. Funny how the dog understands stuff, they're not as daft as they look are they.

She's been wandering round the house "looking" for him, @MorrisZapp. I say "looking" because she's very old, deaf and blind - but she's definitely wondering where he is. They adored each other.

I never in a million years would have dreamt that the ancient dog would outlive my kind, funny clever DP. He was only 60, ffs.

He was in an abusive relationship for almost 20 years, then single with just a few brief relationships until we got together in 2010. We'd known each other for 33 years and had been BF & GF for a while in the 80s, and stayed really good friends ever after.

He said (when drunk and soppy one night) that he'd never been as happy as he had since got together, and we had real plans and dreams for our retirement. I'm grieving for those too, as well as for him.

It's bloody funny thing, grief.

Yes it needs to be the registrars office near the hospital where he died. They will sort out with the hospital all the paperwork, the case is reviewed by the Coroner and if anything needs investigating they will let you know what the process is.

Lots more is electronic at the moment and I must say am surprised they didn't do it earlier its really smoothed things over

So sorry for your loss.

Sorry for your loss. I’ve been where you are and it’s fucking awful.

With regards to his sole account, please know that funeral costs are payable by his estate, so they should come out of the money in that account as a priority.

It’s concerning that the BIL has brought up money on the day your loved one has passed away. Actually, it’s crass and vulgar. Please seek advice from a solicitor - you are in shock still and need someone neutral to guide you with making the correct decisions, which aren’t based on emotion.

Sending you strength.

Your BIL is an arse.

I'm sorry for what you're going through, and you don't need that sort of fuckwittery at any time, let alone today.

You will carry on using the joint account. Later when you have the paperwork (and you don't have to do it 'as soon as') the bank will transfer the account into your sole name. They won't close it and open a new one.

Tell BIL to get lost. Is he hoping that some of the money is coming his way??

(((hugs to you)))

@LolaButt

Sorry for your loss. I’ve been where you are and it’s fucking awful.

With regards to his sole account, please know that funeral costs are payable by his estate, so they should come out of the money in that account as a priority.

It’s concerning that the BIL has brought up money on the day your loved one has passed away. Actually, it’s crass and vulgar. Please seek advice from a solicitor - you are in shock still and need someone neutral to guide you with making the correct decisions, which aren’t based on emotion.

Sending you strength.

To be fair to him, @LolaButt, I'm sure he was trying to be helpful.

He advised me to transfer money out of the joint account into my own account, because if they froze the account, I wouldn't be able to access the funds in it.

@Feedingthebirds1

Your BIL is an arse.

I'm sorry for what you're going through, and you don't need that sort of fuckwittery at any time, let alone today.

You will carry on using the joint account. Later when you have the paperwork (and you don't have to do it 'as soon as') the bank will transfer the account into your sole name. They won't close it and open a new one.

Tell BIL to get lost. Is he hoping that some of the money is coming his way??

(((hugs to you)))

No, he knows there's bugger all money and he's not mercenary, he's really kind.

He was under the impression that joint a/c would be frozen and wanted to prevent me having any issues with paying bills etc. I was pretty sure that he was wrong.

And this was at the end of a long and difficult day where he had been incredibly supportive, he's not a baddy, honest.

By way of update, DP's son mentioned to his mother (DP's abusive ex) that he had no idea how much funerals cost.

The ex immediately decided to "help" by ringing her friend who works for a funeral director in Surrey. Her company has a branch about 20 miles away from where we are, and she gave a quote.

The friend is the avaricious, grasping bitch who is DP's brother's ex, and we are now at risk of having these two harpies muscling in on a funeral that is nothing to do with them!

Thankfully, I have 2 quotes that are both less than the figure quoted, and DP, while being a generous soul in every way, still hated paying £1 for something if he could have got it for 99p. Hopefully, "He would have wanted the cheapest possible deal" will win out.

@LakieLady hopefully ex minds her own business it is not what you need.

There's a pittance in a local government pension scheme, he was in the job less than 2 years.

I don't suppose he was in the job when he died? If so, there's a potential for a death-in-service payment.

I work in probate administration. The account will transfer to the surviving account holder.

Sole accounts are frozen.