No Will

[1jax991]

In Washington state. My mother has been on her parents checking account for 25 years, her father died in 1997, there was no will. My mother cared for her mother (she needed 24 hour care) untill her recent death. Her mother also didn't have a will. My mother has 3 brothers, the only estate is the money left in the checking account that has had my mothers name on it for 25 years. Does my mother have legal right to do as she wishes with the money?

 

[ALawyer]

Saying your mother was "on the account" is not enough to go on. If title to the account was "Grandma and Mother as joint tenants with right of survivorship" es by operation of law to your mother; if it was as "tenants in common", or there was only a power of attorney to sign for grandma, then the money would be property of grandma's estate and need to be split among mother and her siblings (and children of any deceased sibling).