Does anyone have any experience with 'per stirpes'? We have a customer who recently passed away, and has 5 children, and his beneficiaries are 'all children per stirpes'. We are looking to see if all 5 children must take the funds at the same time.

Per stirpes means that if a beneficiary dies before you do, their share goes to their descendant.

Under what instrument is the funds being distributed under and what are the funds?

We are attempting to get more details. The funds are a checking account with a minimal balance of under $500.

Is there not a POD designation on the account? Is this a small estate? Is there a will? I have never heard of a bank distributing proceeds of a decedent's checking account "per strips".

We are still gathering information.