Q: I received a check from my deceased husband's pension, to the estate of his name. I'm his beneficiary .
What do I do with the check. He had no will. His two children are grown adults. We owed nothing as far as property or vehicles or financial accounts. Desperate in akron,ohio
A:
I recommend contacting the pension company to see how things were set up. If you are indeed the beneficiary, then the bond company will usually re-issue the check in your name. On the other hand, if you are not the beneficiary on the account, then the check is an estate asset and you need probate to cash the check. Depending on some other factors, you may qualify for a simplified process to just get the funds payable from the check. I recommend sitting down with a probate/estate planning attorney who can assist you. Many offer free consultations.
Best of luck.
Mary Ellen Leslie agrees with this answer
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