(1)(a) When a deposit account is held in any association in the names of two or more persons, whether minor or adult, in a form such that the monies in the account are payable to either of the survivor or survivors, then, in the absence of fraud or undue influence, the account and all additions thereto is the property of the persons as joint tenants. The opening of the account in this form is, in the absence of fraud or undue influence, conclusive evidence in any action or proceeding to which either the association or the survivor or survivors is a party of the intention of all of the parties to the account to vest title to the account and the additions thereto in the survivor or survivors. The association is not subject to any liability for fraud or undue influence if it complies with the provisions of this paragraph.

(b) Except as provided in paragraph (c), the monies in the account may be paid to or on order of any one of the joint tenants during their lifetime or to or on the order of any of the survivors of them after the death of any of them, and the name of a joint tenant may be deleted from the account on the written direction to the association of any other joint tenant.

(c) By written instructions given to the association by all of the joint tenants of an account, either the signatures of more than one of the joint tenants during their lifetime or more than one of the survivors after the death of any of them may be required on any check, receipt, or withdrawal order, or the deletion of the name of a joint tenant from the account may be allowed only on the written direction of certain specified tenants. The association shall pay the monies in the account or allow deletions thereto, or both, only in accordance with these instructions, except that no instructions shall limit the right of the survivor or survivors to receive the money in the account.

(d) Payment of all or any of the monies in this account or deletion of the name of an account holder as provided in this subsection shall discharge the association from liability with respect to the monies so paid, or names so deleted, until receipt by the association of a written notice from any one of the joint tenants directing the association not to permit withdrawals or deletions in accordance with the terms of the account or the instructions. After receipt of the notice, the association may refuse, without liability, to honor any check, receipt, or withdrawal order or deletion request on the account pending determination of the rights of the parties. No association paying any survivor in accordance with the provisions of this section is liable for any estate, inheritance, or succession taxes which may be due this State.

(2) Subject to Section 34-28-500, any association may accept deposits in the name of any administrator, executor, custodian, conservator, guardian, trustee, or other fiduciary for a named beneficiary or beneficiaries. The withdrawal value of any account, and earnings thereon, or other rights relating thereto may be paid or delivered, in whole or in part, to the fiduciary without regard to any notice to the contrary as long as the fiduciary is living. The payment or delivery to a fiduciary or a receipt or acquittance signed by a fiduciary to whom any payment or any delivery or rights is made is a valid and sufficient release and discharge of an association for the payment or delivery so made. Whenever a person holding an account in a fiduciary capacity dies and no written notice of the revocation or termination of the fiduciary relationship has been given to an association and the association has no written notice of any other disposition of the beneficial estate, the withdrawal value of the account, and earnings thereon, or other rights relating thereto may, at the option of the association, be paid or delivered, in whole or in part, to the beneficiary or beneficiaries. Whenever an account is opened by any person, describing himself in opening the account as trustee for another and no other or further notice of the existence and terms of a legal and valid trust than the description is given in writing to the association, in the event of the death of the person so described as trustee the withdrawal value of the account or any part thereof together with the earnings thereon may be paid to the person for whom the account was thus described to have been opened. The payment or delivery to any beneficiary, beneficiaries or designated person, or a receipt of acquittance signed by any beneficiary, beneficiaries, or designated person, is for any payment or delivery a valid and sufficient release and discharge of an association for the payment or delivery so made. No association paying any fiduciary, beneficiary, or designated person in accordance with the provisions of this section is liable for any estate, inheritance, or succession taxes which may be due this State.

(3) When a deposit account is held in any association by a person who becomes incompetent and an adjudication of incompetency has been made by a court of competent jurisdiction, the association may pay or deliver the withdrawal value of the account and any earnings that may have accrued thereon to the conservator for the person upon proof of his appointment and qualification; provided, that if the association has received no written notice and is not on actual notice that the account holder has been adjudicated incompetent, it may pay or deliver the funds to the holder in accordance with the provisions of the savings account contract, and the receipt or acquittance of the holder therefor is a valid and sufficient release and discharge of the association for the payment or delivery so made.

(4) When a deposit account is held in any association by a person residing in another state or country, the account, together with additions thereto and earnings thereon, or any part thereof, is exempt from any taxation otherwise imposed by this State and may be paid to the administrator or executor appointed in the state or country where the account holder resided at the time of death; provided, the administrator or executor has furnished the association with (i) authenticated copy of his letters and of the order of the court which issued the letters to him authorizing him to collect, receive, and remove the personal estate, and (ii) an affidavit by the administrator or executor that to his knowledge no letters of administration then are outstanding in this State and no petition for letters of administration by an heir, legatee, devisee, or creditor of the decedent is pending on the estate in this State, and (iii) that there are no creditors of the estate in this State. Upon payment or delivery to the representatives after receipt of the affidavit and authenticated copies, the association is released and discharged to the same extent as if the payment or delivery had been made to a legally qualified resident executor or administrator, and is not required to see to the application or disposition of the property. No action at law or in equity may be maintained against the association for payment made in accordance with this section.

HISTORY: 1985 Act No. 124, Section 1.