How to ensure my daughter can access my bank account when I pop my clogs.

[gbb]

When calling one financial institution about the bereavement, the operator asked to speak to them I politely explained again they had passed and it was ok after that.

Generally though most places have been ok, one tip for anyone dealing with POA or Bereavement is to call M-F during office hours. It's because most of the teams that deal with that don't work weekends or evenings.

I've found that too. While they can't short cut a process , they have all been very kind and helpful in as much as they can. Most financial institutions seem to have a bereavement team

 

[Moodyman]

A deceased rapper once said, “Mo Money, Mo problems”.

Not a dig at the OP, but as someone involved in the world of finance, I see things daily where the family of the deceased have major headaches because of secrecy/complexity/lack of planning.

There are a several solutions that institutions can provide. Before you approach your bank, have a good think about how and when you want daughter/SiL to be involved. Then, discuss this with your bank to understand how they can facilitate this. They will talk you through the options.

There are pros and cons to each solution. What might be good today, may not be right when you’re less able vs when you are no more.

PS - my condolences for your loss earlier in the year.

 

[rockyroller]

FWIW my Mother prepaid her funeral expenses. side note be sure about any gravestone engraving, meaning be sure it's been written down & proofed

 

[oldwheels]

Just going through this with mum's accounts.
We set up a Post Office online savings account with me as an additional card holder, effectively a joint account. Pretty quickly after mum's passing, they notified me as a joint holder I could continue to use the account as normal. But, its a clunky service, if you want to shift money around by adding new accounts to transfer to, it's got messy / fustrating for me personally.

So perhaps set up a joint account and transfer a block of money to it ? That would free up perhaps a significant amount if that's what you want to ease her access.

Shutting down other accounts has been problematic, mainly because I don't have photo ID. Passport expired during lockdown, as we probably don't intend travelling abroad, I never bothered nrenewing. My driving licence, I had stubbornly held on to the still legal original, probably regret that now but hey-ho.

Does the passport not still act as photo ID even if expired?

 

[gbb]

Does the passport not still act as photo ID even if expired?

As the wording always states...a valid passport...I guess not.

 

[oldwheels]

As the wording always states...a valid passport...I guess not.

It seems a passport less than 6 months out of date can be used for a DBS check but not for anything else so you are correct.

 

[CXRAndy]

If your estate is less than the inheritance tax threshold. Doing probate by your daughter is very straightforward and will cost significantly less than a solicitor. However the emotional side might be difficult for her, so a independent third person (not necessarily a solicitor) could do it if respectable

 

[neil_merseyside]

Get a joint account (or her named on the account) but when you croak your daughter empties the account or to whatever extent needed before notifying the bank of your sad demise, once notified it probably just needs death certificate if under £5K funds (ish depends on bank), add POA/probate if over £5K.
Works for divorce too if you get to bank first...