Powers, MI Estate Planning Law Firms & Lawyers

Your answer depends a lot on how the account was established. Often, there will be a "primary" owner. If that person was your mother, then she could make changes without your knowledge or consent. Generally, joint accounts allow either person to access the account, (up to the entire value), at any time. This is one of the best reasons to never use joint accounts in estate planning.

Many times whether you can receive your mother's pension depends on the pension plan that she had. You need to contact the pension plan administrator and find out if you are eligible to receive the pension payments.

Since there is no Will, the assets in your father's estate will pass to your mother and divided amongst your father's children born to or adopted by him. Expenses of the estate, including funeral and burial expenses, must be paid before the assets can be distributed. The death benefit under the life insurance policy will go to the designated beneficiary.