My Mother passed away last June, intestate in Ontario.
She had been living apart from my Dad since Dec. 1st 1985, although they were still legally married. She left her death benefits (10K) to be divided 50/50 between my Sister and myself, as per her Employer - they have said that because she turned 65 - her beneficiary designation were no longer applicable and so her benefit was deposited into an estate account. For the last decade of her life it was left to my Husband & I to take care of her needs - she was put into a nursing home and her pension did not cover her costs at the home by 400 a month plus between 100-200 each month for her drugs, plus 150 - 300 a month for expenditures at the home (blood work, day trips etc.). Because she was still legally married at the time of her death, my Dad was given everything - including the 10K from her death benefits, which was put into the "estate account" which required all three (my Dad, myself and my Sister) signatures to take any monies out. She also left an 8K debt to Revenue Canada. They have removed the 8K from the estate account and my dad has pocketed the outstanding balance, leaving my sister and I with nothing. Were my Sister and my signature not required to close out the 3 signature estate account? - Thanks
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