Has anyone had any experience with a situation as follows: Customer had his work company close his 401K and made check payable to ABC Bank for benefit of customer IRA. The customer did not talk with anyone at ABC. He was killed and wife found check after 60 days. What role does the bank, the estate, the wife have in this? Thank you for any discussion.

If the decedent did not have an IRA at ABC Bank, then ABC Bank has no role. The company should be willing to take the check back and distribute the funds to the named beneficiaries of the decedent's QRP and do the necessary IRS reporting. It would be appropriate for the duly appointed personal representative to make the request, but he or she has no control over the monies; i.e. they are not part of the decedent's estate. The wife is in the same position; i.e. she could certainly make the request, but has no control over a check made payable to ABC Bank.