Q: How to get access to safe deposit box of deceased mother?
What do I need to do legally to access the safe deposit box of my mother, who lived and died in New York, but apparently still has a safe deposit box in her name in Ohio? She died 15 years ago, I am only surviving family member. There was no will and no assets beyond funeral expenses.
A: You may have to open probate in New York to get an executor appointed who would have authority to go to the bank and remove the assets. If you just want to find out whether anything is in the safe deposit box, then Ohio has a mechanism to allow access for the purposes of creating an inventory of the safe deposit box. This scenario may qualify. Then, you could determine whether you want to open probate in New York.
Mary Ellen Leslie agrees with this answer
1 user found this answer helpful
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
