Background: My girlfriend, who I lived with and was planning to spend the rest of my life with, passed away unexpectedly earlier this year from a brain infection at the age of 27. Her and I both knew we had found "the one" in each other, had begun planning our lives and futures including a joint savings to purchase a home, and I was planning to propose in the spring of 2019. Her family already thought of me as part of the family.
Now to the current situation: After her death, I did whatever I could to help her family and vice versa (help locate/identify accounts, credit cards, documents, etc.). Recently, I realized that she has an IRA with Charles Schwab as she had rolled over an old 401k a few months prior to her passing and I completely forgot. I told her family about this account as I wanted to make sure they were aware and her mother insisted that I have it. I pushed back and said no but her mother is the type of person that will not take no for an answer. An example, she gave me about $1k cash shortly after my gf's death to "help with the bills." I snuck this money back into her purse while she went to the bathroom and when she later realized it, she came by to drop off fruits from her garden and had snuck the money into the bag so that I wouldn't find it until after she had left.
Anyway, I told her I would look into it. The IRA account has about $11k in it but from my research, there is no way this money can be transferred to me as I am not listed as a beneficiary. I am trying to gather as much information as possible in terms of options as her mother does not speak a whole lot of English and I want to make this as easy as possible for her. Can anyone help me navigate this? What are all the options for a situation like this? Is there any way for her to sign this account over to me?
Any insight and help is greatly appreciated.
Submitted December 19, 2018 at 08:34PM by xjusablurr https://ift.tt/2BxSkhl
