Effective January 1, 2010, Illinois enacted the Banking Convenience Account for Depositors Act which allows account owners to create joint accounts that allow non-owners to make deposits and withdrawals. The accounts do not have Payable On Death or Transfer on Death designations. The non-owners have no survivorship rights as there would be with a common joint tenancy account.
The accounts are useful where an elderly person has an adult child assist with banking, such as making deposits and paying bills, but where there is no intention to make the balance in the account a gift to the non-owner upon the death of the owner.
The banks are protected. Until the bank receives written notice of the death of the account owner, it has no liability for continuing to pay funds to the non-owner. Once the bank does receive written notice, unless there is a restraining order or injunction in place, the bank is discharged from liability by delivering the remaining funds in the account to the executor, administrator or other representative of the estate.
Contact an estate planning law firm for further information