![]() It takes time for death certificates to be issued, so the family member may not be able to access end-of-life plans or information on cemetery plots in time. The bank may require that the family member provide a death certificate to access the safe deposit box. You may feel like this is a preferred method of giving your loved one access to your important documents but be aware of the complications that may arise. Your loved one gave you access to the safe deposit box contingent upon deathĪnother option is that the safety deposit box holder could allow the other person access only after death. This may not be the ideal choice for family members who are greedy or untrustworthy. This can be done by adding a person to the signature card and either offering a copy of the key or telling that person where the key is located. In some cases, the deceased would have planned for his or her death by adding another person's name to his or her safety deposit box. Your loved one gave you access to the safe deposit box Here are some typical scenarios that you may encounter. Explain your situation and an employee will be able to tell you how you can gain access. Also, bring a copy of the key if you know where it is. You may want to bring a copy of your loved one's death certificate, your loved one’s will, and your ID. To learn how to access your loved one's safe deposit box, visit the institution where it is located. The wording of the safe deposit box leases may also vary, depending on the institution. Some states are more lenient than others on who can have access after the death of the holder of the box. The rules on how to access a deceased person's safe deposit box vary from state to state. Different Ways to Access a Deceased Loved One's Safe Deposit Box ![]() » MORE: Your family has 500 hours of work to do after you die. After this period, which could last years, the contents would be turned over to the state.Īll of the steps in this process can take a long time, so you might want to check in with the state periodically. After the lease expired, the bank may make several attempts to reach out to the safe deposit box owner. ![]() After all, your loved one may have paid for a long-term lease on the box. It may be years before anything turns up in your search. If you think that your loved one could have had a safe deposit box but you were unable to find proof of its existence, you may want to periodically inquire with the unclaimed property administration of the state where your loved one lived. Each state handles abandoned property differently. If no one claims the contents, they may be turned over to the state. The family may not know that the safe deposit box exists and they may not receive any notice from the bank about the box They may not be able to disclose this information, depending upon the local laws and bank rules. Since some banks only allow customers to lease safe deposit boxes, visit your loved one's local branch and ask the manager whether or not your loved one had a box. The family members may suspect that a safe deposit box exists but may not find any records or key Once they know that the box exists, they can visit the institution to learn more about accessing the contents. ![]() They may notice a fee deducted periodically (perhaps only once a year) for the lease of a safe deposit box. ![]() Once the family finds that the safe deposit box exists, they can learn how to access it by visiting the institution.įamily members may uncover this by looking at their loved ones' bank statements. If this happens, they may discover that their loved one had a safe deposit box when the bank attempts to notify the deceased that storage fees aren’t getting paid. The family members may not know that the safe deposit box exists We will discuss what most institutions require to open a deceased family member's safe deposit box in the next section of the article. This is the best-case scenario for your situation. The deceased's family members may know about the safe deposit box and follow the appropriate guidelines to access the contents » MORE: Save $$$ and time with our tools. ![]()
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