Legal Question in Social Security Law in Pennsylvania

after my dad died when i was young, i received social security which was entrusted to my mother til I turned 18. Im 22 now and dont receive the payments anymore but there is still a lot save up from previous ones which are in a joint account between my mother and i. she is now holding this money as a ransom to get me to do what she wants with it, do I have any legal options to make her give me the money?

Asked on 4/06/12, 2:35 pm

2 Answers from Attorneys

Michael Duffy Duffy Law, LLC

0 users found helpful

0 attorneys agreed

Hi there,

You almost certainly have some legal options here. It would depend greatly on how the money was held and structured as to what rights you and your mother might have. Usually a trust would be set up in such a situation, which would give the beneficiary of the trust some protection and guarantees. The money would be held in the trust and managed by a trustee would would be bound to certain standards of conduct. When the conditions are met for the trust funds to be turned over to the beneficiary, that must take place. There are legal mechanisms in place to ensure these things take place.

If it was just a joint bank account, you would still have a right to the money, but so would the other account holder. You would then be best advised to take immediate action to recover an funds. Once they are gone it can be difficult or impossible to recover in that case.

If you would like to discuss your matter further over a free and confidential phone consult, please contact me at your convenience.

Regards,

Michael J. Duffy

Duffy Law, LLC

1-888-414-5773

www.mduffylaw.com

[email protected]

Please note: The information provided here is for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice or legal opinion on specific facts or circumstances.

Answered on 4/06/12, 4:11 pm

Mark as helpful