Lawyer won't send me savings bonds

[It's Me]

What is the name of your state? New Jersey
My grandfather died in Maryland in 2005. His lawyer told me that he left me some U.S. savings bonds. She won't send them to me. She says that she is finalizing their valuation, whatever that means. On the U.S. Treasury's website, it says that I can redeem the savings bonds with a certified copy of the death certificate and photo ID. The savings bonds are outside of the estate, since he named me as beneficiary. Does she have a good reason to delay sending me the savings bonds? What should I do?

 

[Dandy Don]

She has good reason only if you are mistaken about being named "beneficiary" and if there is actually no beneficiary, then they belong to the estate.

If your name is listed as joint co-owner, then they do not belong to the estate. If you know your grandfather's SSN and birthdate, then you can contact any bank that sells savings bonds (usually the bank will have the initials FSB after their name to show they are a federal savings bank) and get a claim form to claim these bonds for yourself. Any bank should be able to tell you how to contact a local bank that sells savings bonds, or contact the Treasury Department through their toll-free number.

Executor may or may not be aware of the rules involving cashing in savings bonds so she may not know that she is not eligible to claim them, but everything depends on exactly whose names are on the savings bonds.

DANDY DON IN OKLAHOMA ([email protected])

 

[It's Me]

Thank you for your speedy reply. I just checked the email that the lawyer sent me, and she said that the savings bonds were in my grandfather's and my names. I thought that I was listed as the beneficiary, but maybe he listed me as the co-owner when he bought them. I don't know. I don't know what his Social Security number was. I just don't know what to do. I emailed the lawyer the webpage from the U.S. Treasury that says that I just have to take the savings bonds to my bank, along with a certified copy of his death certificate, to redeem them, but she insists that she has to finalize their valuation, whatever that means. Is there a way that I can force her to send them to me immediately?

 

[BelizeBreeze]

Thank you for your speedy reply. I just checked the email that the lawyer sent me, and she said that the savings bonds were in my grandfather's and my names. I thought that I was listed as the beneficiary, but maybe he listed me as the co-owner when he bought them. I don't know. I don't know what his Social Security number was. I just don't know what to do. I emailed the lawyer the webpage from the U.S. Treasury that says that I just have to take the savings bonds to my bank, along with a certified copy of his death certificate, to redeem them, but she insists that she has to finalize their valuation, whatever that means. Is there a way that I can force her to send them to me immediately?

The it depends on how exactly the names are listed. It is most likely that 1/2 the amount belongs to the estate and the other 1/2 to you.

 

[It's Me]

http://www.pacifictrustbank.com/info/SavBonds.htm

According to the above, if I am listed as co-owner or as beneficiary on the savings bonds, I should be able to redeem them once he dies. They do not belong to his estate at all. In fact, the U.S. Treasury says that buying savings bonds and naming relatives as beneficiaries is a great thing to do with your money, as the savings bonds can be redeemed without having to go through probate.

 

[BelizeBreeze]

http://www.pacifictrustbank.com/info/SavBonds.htm

According to the above, if I am listed as co-owner or as beneficiary on the savings bonds, I should be able to redeem them once he dies. They do not belong to his estate at all. In fact, the U.S. Treasury says that buying savings bonds and naming relatives as beneficiaries is a great thing to do with your money, as the savings bonds can be redeemed without having to go through probate.

So you know the answer to your own question why are you still here.

The fact is, you are NOT correct. It depends on EXACTLY HOW, WORD FOR WORD, the names appear on the bond.

As someone said a day ago

 

[Dandy Don]

His SSN may be on the death certificate but if it isn't, you can look it up on the Social Security Death Index (do a Google search on the phrase "Social Security Death Index" and you will find a link to connect to that).

You can wait for her to send you the bonds if you wish, but that isn't necessary. You can get the claim form from the bank and then submit a request for payment. You don't need to have actual physical possession of the bonds.

DANDY DON IN OKLAHOMA ([email protected])

 

[It's Me]

The savings bonds came in the mail today. They are all registered the same way. His name, address, and Social Security number were on the bonds after the word "To:" and at the bottom of the bonds was typed "OR [my name]". The lawyer hadn't done a thing with them. I have no idea why she held on to them for so long. I still believe that if I hadn't emailed her the link to the Treasury saying that the bonds weren't part of the estate and that I could redeem them myself, they'd still be sitting on her desk. She did enclose a certified copy of the death certificate so that I could get them redeemed or re-issued in my name. She obviously didn't know that I had obtained a certified copy of the death certificate ages ago.

Thank you for all your help.

 

[BelizeBreeze]

The savings bonds came in the mail today. They are all registered the same way. His name, address, and Social Security number were on the bonds after the word "To:" and at the bottom of the bonds was typed "OR [my name]". The lawyer hadn't done a thing with them. I have no idea why she held on to them for so long. I still believe that if I hadn't emailed her the link to the Treasury saying that the bonds weren't part of the estate and that I could redeem them myself, they'd still be sitting on her desk. She did enclose a certified copy of the death certificate so that I could get them redeemed or re-issued in my name. She obviously didn't know that I had obtained a certified copy of the death certificate ages ago.

Thank you for all your help.

It's called CYOA....look it up

 

[seniorjudge]

What is the name of your state? New Jersey
My grandfather died in Maryland in 2005. His lawyer told me that he left me some U.S. savings bonds. She won't send them to me. She says that she is finalizing their valuation, whatever that means. On the U.S. Treasury's website, it says that I can redeem the savings bonds with a certified copy of the death certificate and photo ID. The savings bonds are outside of the estate, since he named me as beneficiary. Does she have a good reason to delay sending me the savings bonds? What should I do?

This is crap.

File a complaint against that attorney.


http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us/oae/discipline.htm