Matter of Estate of Ingram

SUMMERS, Justice:

The first question is whether a will severs a valid joint tenancy so that jointly held property passes through the estate rather than to the surviving joint tenant. We hold that it does not. The second question is whether bank accounts described as “joint”, but lacking, as far as we can find, any language of “survivorship”, create a valid joint tenancy. We find that under the facts of this case they do not.

Lola Jane Ingram established a savings account and a checking account, and on each of these accounts named as a co-signor Shirley Gazalski, one of her daughters. Ingram…