Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Ohio

Joint checkbooks

My elderly mother & I have joint checking and savings in Ohio. She tells me every week that if she dies I have to get to the bank and put it in my name immediately. We are talking approx 70,000 in savings and 5,000 in checking. I live 125 miles away in PA, my brother in Fla. I am the executrice of her will; no property, just furniture. Drive me crazy weekly. She is of sound mind, don't get me wrong. Does well on her own in senior housing.

I know a girl in Ohio that wrote checks from her mother/her joint account for years. Never changed the names. What if my own spose dies--do I also have to get him off the checkbook immediately.

I need something in writing to calm her down. thanks.

I need to know OHIO law.


Asked on 2/16/09, 10:10 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Elizabeth Schmitz Elizabeth S. Schmitz Attorney at Law

Re: Joint checkbooks

If the checking and savings account are set up as joint checking with right of survivorship then the account will belong to you upon your mother's death. You do not need to get your mother's name of the account immediately.

Please advise your mother that the account will belong to you and will not be governed by the provisions of her will. That should not be a problem if everything in the will goes to you but if that is not the case then your mother may want to make some other arrangements to make sure her wishes as expressed in her will are carried out.

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Answered on 2/16/09, 1:55 pm


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