Q: Can a beneficiary claim funds on a decedent account if he/she does not know the account number.
My brother recently passed away and I am the designated beneficiary on his IRA account. I can provide the certificate of death along with proper identification (notarized) but the bank is requiring that I provide them with the account number, which I do not have, before they can proceed. I was able to provide them with his Soc Sec #. I have previously worked in financial institutions and knowledge of acct # was never a requirement for beneficiaries on decedent accounts, just proper identification and a death certificate.
To be clear the issue is not that I am the primary beneficiary, simply that it is "bank policy" that I provide the account number. I am not sure how to proceed from here. Any direction would be greatly appreciated.
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