When a spouse dies, the checking account may seem like one financial detail that should be simple: both names are on it, so the surviving spouse keeps the money. In many cases, that’s essentially what happens, but joint bank account after death rules depend on how the account is legally titled rather than simply whose names appear on the statement. That distinction matters when the surviving spouse needs immediate access to money for groceries, utilities, funeral expenses, and other bills. There can also be deposit-insurance, estate, creditor, and recordkeeping issues that aren’t obvious until the bank is notified of the death. Before moving money or assuming an account will go through probate, here’s what surviving spouses should check.
