Parents Passed Away Without Nomination... How Can I Help My Friend's Daughter?

Hey everyone, I really need some advice for my friend’s daughter. Both of her parents passed away within a month of each other, and now she’s dealing with a lot of complications trying to access her dad’s bank account.

The husband had a bank account and his wife was the nominee, but she passed away before he could update the nomination. The daughter submitted all necessary documents, including death certificates, affidavit, indemnity bond, ID proof, and her bank details. But the bank is demanding a certificate from the Nagar Nigam that states she is the only child of her parents.

The thing is, Nagar Nigam doesn’t maintain family records, so I don’t even know how she’s supposed to get this certificate. She really needs the money and is having a hard time dealing with all this right after losing her parents. Does anyone know what she can do to sort this out? Can the bank really ask for this certificate? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I’m so sorry to hear about your friend’s loss. I believe the bank is asking for a legal heir certificate, which is usually issued by the Tehsildar or local revenue authorities, not Nagar Nigam. Your friend’s daughter should try contacting the local revenue office to apply for a legal heir certificate. Once she has that, the bank should release the funds. It’s a common document needed in situations like this.

@Luca
Thank you so much for this info! I’ll tell her to go to the local revenue office. Hopefully that will clear things up.

Yeah, banks usually ask for a legal heir certificate in these cases to make sure the money goes to the right person. The Nagar Nigam wouldn’t handle family records, but the local revenue office should be able to help. I know this is a tough time for her, but once she gets the legal heir certificate, things should move more smoothly.

@Tan
Thanks for the advice. I had no idea about the legal heir certificate but it makes sense now. Hopefully this helps her move forward.

Definitely go for the legal heir certificate. The bank is just trying to cover all its bases before releasing the funds. It might take some time, but once she has that certificate, she’ll be able to access the account. She could also ask the bank if there’s any alternative, but most likely they’ll stick to their procedure.

@Wylie
Thank you! We’ll check with the bank again and apply for the certificate. I really hope this doesn’t take too long.

You should also look into getting a ‘Surviving Member Certificate’ from the local municipal authority. That might also help if the bank needs proof that she’s the only surviving child. Depending on the state or region, different authorities may issue it, but it’s worth asking around.

@Jory
Oh, I didn’t even know about that. I’ll look into the Surviving Member Certificate too. Thank you for pointing that out!

Sorry to hear about your friend’s situation. Yes, unfortunately, these bureaucratic hurdles can be tough. She should try to get the legal heir certificate or see if the bank would accept a succession certificate, which can be obtained from the court if needed. It’s a lot of paperwork, but the sooner she applies, the better.

@Quinn
Thank you! We’ll start working on getting the necessary certificates as soon as possible. Hopefully this all gets sorted soon.