Illinois life insurance beneficiary just turning 18

[Spkrman]

My mother died when I was 6, and left me as the beneficiary of her life insurance.

The money was put into a savings account at citibank, and there it remains.

A nearby citybank told me that I would need to get a court order so that I could get my money out of the bank.

I am not sure if I need to get a lawyer, or if I can take care of it all myself. After reading over various sites on the 'net, it looks like I can take care of it myself with a little advice.

Do you all think that I need a lawyer? If I do need a lawyer, would I need the lawyer that took care of the original case (to get the money into the bank and so on)?

Once again, I am in Illinois (chicago specifically), the bank holding the money is Citibank.

 

[Dandy Don]

Try to find out from Citibank exactly what type of court order you will need (the name of the court order or which type court would handle it--probate? guardianship?).

It would be a good idea to contact the lawyer who put the money in for you--he might be sympathetic to your situation and probably would be willing to help you get it.

DANDY DON IN OKLAHOMA ([email protected])

 

[ALawyer]

You shouldn't need a lawyer, just specifics from Citibankc. Ask it, in writing, to provide you with a copy of the orginal order compelling the deposit in the bank and also to explain in writing, as Dandy Don said, the specific type of order you now need and why you need an order. It may be that there is not even a need for a court order if the original order said you get the money at 18, in which case a certified birth certificate should do it. But very often banks claim they need an order, when they do not. In any event if you do need the order, the lawyer who got you the settlement years earlier can help you.