safe deposit box question

[vjiocco]

What is the name of your state? New York

My father passed away recently and he had a safe deposit box that lists my brother as a beneficiary. Does my brother get the entire box or does it become part of the estate? My brother claims that the box was "given" to him by my father and that it was empty when he opened it up. Thank you.

 

[seniorjudge]

What is the name of your state? New York

My father passed away recently and he had a safe deposit box that lists my brother as a beneficiary. Does my brother get the entire box or does it become part of the estate? My brother claims that the box was "given" to him by my father and that it was empty when he opened it up. Thank you.

I suspect that brother's name was on the bank's accounts as a person who could open the box. That does not mean that brother inherited everything in the box.

But if brother says the box was empty and you can't prove otherwise, then it makes no difference.

 

[vjiocco]

I suspect that brother's name was on the bank's accounts as a person who could open the box. That does not mean that brother inherited everything in the box.

But if brother says the box was empty and you can't prove otherwise, then it makes no difference.

Thank you for the quick response. I kind of figured that would be the case. It goes to show the lack of character a person can have. The last time my father showe me the contents of the box it contained well over $500,000 in cash. Thank you.