We have a husband & wife's joint account in which the husband recently died (within past week). The wife would like to remove the beneficiary (their son) on the account and add the son to the sig card. We do not want to create a new sig card at this time (so close to the husband's DOD), but need to remove the beneficiary from the old sig card. Would a Beneficiary Revocation form signed by the wife be appropriate in this situation? How can we add the son as a signer on the account?

The signature card is the contract between you and the customer. These changes should be documented by completing a new signature card.

Have the wife withdraw the balance and close the old account and open a new account.

Close the marital account. Open a joint account for the mother and son if that's what they want.

My experience as a trust officer involved doing almost nothing but settling estates for 5 years. It's important to be solicitous of a surviving spouse's feelings, but not so much that you start cobbling solutions together.

While it may seem that banks are being courteous in this situation, things ultimately have to be done correctly at some point. It's no less painful for that surviving spouse when they "get around to it" some years later - they are forced to relive the event again at that time.

You make it easier on them by doing things right and in a timely manner.

In fact, they may be moved by the gentle but firm hand with which you helped them step through the necessary details when they were in need of that help.