Death never comes as a surprise. But sometimes it creates financial problems. The problem becomes bigger when the person who has died did not keep any nominee in the bank account. In this situation, what should the children do? Banks have clear rules for the rightful heir. If you know the correct process and the required documents, the work becomes simple and not very difficult.
Death Certificate and Account Details
First, collect all important documents. You need the death certificate of the deceased person, details of all bank accounts, and proof of legal relationship such as a legal heir certificate or inheritance certificate. These certificates show who has the right to claim the money. Keeping these documents ready helps you avoid delays at the bank.
Visit the Bank and Submit the Form
Go to the bank branch where the account was held and inform them about the death. The bank will give you a legal heir claim form. Fill out the form and submit it with all required documents. In some cases, the bank may ask for an indemnity bond or an affidavit. This affidavit protects the bank from future disputes.
Why Is an Inheritance Certificate Needed?
If there is no nominee and the account has a large amount of money, the bank usually asks for an inheritance certificate from a civil court. This certificate legally allows the heirs to claim the money. It may take some time to get, but it is the strongest proof of legal rights.
What Happens If There Are More than One Heirs?
If there are more than one legal heirs to a deceased person’s property, the legal heirs would need to file a claim together, unless one person wishes to represent them by submitting a No Objection Certificate (NOC) or any kind of written consent. Willingness to coordinate among family members can help prevent any conflict in the future.
Check Other Financial Assets
Apart from bank accounts, the deceased may also have insurance policies, mutual funds, or pension accounts. You should check these as well. The process may differ slightly for each institution, but the basic documents—ID proof, relationship proof, and legal ownership proof—remain the same everywhere.
