Do I have to open a probate case after mother’s death? She had very little, I don’t understand the point.

My condolences on your loss. I have been settling my mother’s estate, little as it was. We had set things up with her bank so that I was co-signer of her accounts. That way I am authorized to access her money and write checks from her account. Each account had beneficiaries listed as did her IRA and life insurance. All told it is less than $70k. I was also her fiduciary for a VA pension she received.

I was her POA and executor. Note that the federal government does not recognize a POA as it is a state issued document. And a POA is void upon death.

We had sold her house 2 years ago to fund her Assisted Living stay, and that money went into a Money Market account.

I notified the bank, insurance company, VA, and the IRA institution. In Ohio you don’t need to go to probate unless there is property or if there are no designated beneficiaries. Be sure to get multiple copies of the death certificate since most will want to have or at least see one.

Luckily my sibs and I are all on good terms. We went to the bank and had the funds distributed to us as beneficiaries. I filed the paperwork to have the life insurance redeemed and divided to each of us. Am waiting for the IRA to mail me a check which I will divide between her grandchildren.

Good luck, I have been dealing with this for 4 months and am still having to send copies of items I sent months ago!