Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Illinois

Re: bank accounts with named beneficaries

Bank accounts can be set up in different ways, but generally if there is a named beneficiary on an account, when the owner of the account passes away, the funds are distributed to that beneficiary(s).

If that beneficiary has passed away, it would likely go to that person's heirs or estate; however, there may also be a contingent beneficiary named, in which case it would pass to that person instead.

The first thing to do is to find out what kind of bank account(s) it is. A named beneficiary, or the representative of the estate, would be able to obtain this information directly from the bank. (However, due to privacy laws, the bank probably won't give this information to someone who is not on the account).

Good luck to you.

The above answer is based on the limited facts that you provided in your posting. It should not be construed as legal advice. Only an attorney who has reviewed your documentation will be able to provide a thorough answer to your question.