Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in New Jersey

It depends upon the reason for the joint account. If your Mom intended you to have whatever funds were in the account when she died, that she put in the account, the joint registration allows you to keep the entire account (what you put in, if anything, plus what is left of what she put in. On the other hand, if the account was merely an accomodation account (one she put your name on solely so you could assist her in paying her bills), this becomes a general asset of her estate and must be split among all estate beneficiaries. Any money in an accomodation account put in by you, is still yours.