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The answer to your question depends on several factors. For example, are you named as the "pay on death" beneficiary of the account? If not, did your mother leave a Will? Are you the only beneficiary of the estate? If there is no Will, the size of her estate may affect whether you will need to open a probate to collect the account or whether you can do a simplified proceeding. I recommend you speak with a probate attorney to discuss the answers to your questions and determine your options.

If your father who passed away 25 years ago is still owns an interest in the home, then it appears that your grandmother's estate was never probated, or if probated the title to the home was transferred by the court to your father and your uncle. It sounds like title to the home that was in her name was to be pass to her sons (presumably 2, your dad and your uncle.) Whether this was done and completed needs to be investigated. You need to obtain a preliminary title report to verify who is on title and all other liens on the property. If you father is on title, and there is equity in the property, then you need to, through court proceedings, clear title to the property. Before you spend the money clearing title however, you need to look into the economics of who is in possession of the properety, who is using the property, who is paying the real estate taxes, who is paying to clear the title, etc. Presumably title to the property is most likely to be, or is, held by your father and your uncle as tenants in common. If you uncle has resided on the property and pays the real estate taxes and expenses, he cannot obtain title by adverse possession from another covenant. However, there are credit and debit adjustments that need to be made to reflect use of the home and the payment of the home expenses referred to above. Before you start to spend any large sum of money to clear title, you need to have fully investigated the current title and performed the economic analysis discussed above.

She would need a new deed from her and her husband to her and her husband, but specifically creating tenancy in common rather than tenancy by the entirety. And yes, use a lawyer. Figure the value of getting this right compared to the cost of a couple of hours of legal work.