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IN PITTSBURGH,PENNSYLVANIA BANK CHECKING ACCOUNT AND SAVINGS ACCOUNT WERE CHANGED WHITH OUT ME BEING INFORMED AND MY NAME WAS TAKEN OFF BOTH ACCOUNTS AND ANOTHER PERSON OR PERSONS NAMES REPLACED MINE AND I WAS NOT INFORMED. I CALLED THE BANK TO GET BALANCE INFORMATION AND WAS TOLD I AM NOT ON THOSE ACCOUNTS ANYMORE AND WAS TOLD BY A RELATIVE THAT MY BROTHER HAD MY FATHER CHANGE THEM TO HIM BEFORE MY FATHER DIED. IS THAT LEGAL? IF NOT CAN YOU TELL ME A LAYERS NAME AND PHONE NUMBER IN PITTSBURGH,PA THAT CAN HELP ME? THANK YOU
The only way you could be taken off the accounts is if you were a beneficiary and not a joint account holder. In that case, your father had the right to change beneficiaries. This is commonly called a payable on death account. The person has the right to spend all of the money or to change the beneficiary. You are not required to be informed of the change.
Experience: Attorney with over 35 years of business experience.
ON THE ACCOUNT IT HAD MY NAME WITH DADS NAME ON THE CHECKS. I NEVER USED THE ACCOUNTS. IN FEBUARY,2009 THIS YEAR ABOUT 1 MONTH BEFORE MY DAD DIED MY BROTHER MAILED ME ONE OF THOSE CHECKS AND SAID DAD GAVE HIM ONE ALSO AND THE CHECK STILL HAD MY NAME AND MY DADS ON IT. SO THATS ALL I KNOW ABOUT IT.MY BROTHER FORCED MY DAD TO MOVE IN WITH HIM ABOUT 3 MONTHS BEFORE DAD PASSED. DO YOU THINK I CAN OR SHOULD GET A LAWER ON THIS IN PITTSBURGH? I LIVE IN ANOTHER STAE 255 MILES AWAY
If you were joint on the account then the bank should not have removed your name. However, in a joint account one party can withdraw all of the money and do whatever they wish with the money. You should send a demand letter certified to the bank asking why your name was removed from the account and demanding the statements from the time your name was removed.