Illinois Code § 4

§ 4.

Payable on Death Account Incidents. If one or more persons opening or holding an account sign an agreement with the institution providing that on the death of the last surviving person designated as holder the account shall be paid to or held by one or more designated beneficiaries, the account, and any balance therein which exists from time to time, shall be held as a payment on death account and unless otherwise agreed in writing between the person or persons opening or holding the account and the institution: (a) Any holder during his or her lifetime may change any of the designated beneficiaries to own the account at the death of the last surviving holder without the knowledge or consent of any other holder or the designated beneficiaries by a written instrument accepted by the institution; (b) Any holder may make additional deposits to and withdraw any part or all of the account at any time without the knowledge or consent of any other holder or the designated beneficiaries to own the account at the death of the last surviving holder, subject to the bylaws and regulations of the institution, and all withdrawals shall constitute a revocation of the agreement as to the amount withdrawn; and (c) Upon the death of the last surviving holder of the account, the beneficiary designated to be the owner of the account (i) who is then living, if the beneficiary is a natural person, or (ii) that maintains a lawful existence under the state or federal authority pursuant to which it was organized, if the beneficiary is not a natural person, shall be the sole owner of the account, unless more than one beneficiary is so designated and then living or in existence, in which case those beneficiaries shall hold the account in equal shares as tenants in common with no right of survivorship as between those beneficiaries. If no beneficiary designated as the owner of the account on the death of the last surviving holder is then living or in existence, the proceeds shall vest in the estate of the last surviving holder of the account. (Source: P.A. 96-1151, eff. 7-21-10.) (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 104-123) Sec. 4. Payable on Death Account Incidents. If one or more persons opening or holding an account sign an agreement with the institution providing that on the death of the last surviving person designated as holder the account shall be paid to or held by one or more designated beneficiaries, the account, and any balance therein which exists from time to time, shall be held as a payment on death account and unless otherwise agreed in writing between the person or persons opening or holding the account and the institution: (a) Any holder during his or her lifetime may change any of the designated beneficiaries to own the account at the death of the last surviving holder without the knowledge or consent of any other holder or the designated beneficiaries by a written instrument accepted by the institution; (b) Any holder may make additional deposits to and withdraw any part or all of the account at any time without the knowledge or consent of any other holder or the designated beneficiaries to own the account at the death of the last surviving holder, subject to the bylaws and regulations of the institution, and all withdrawals shall constitute a revocation of the agreement as to the amount withdrawn; (c) Upon the death of the last surviving holder of the account, the beneficiary designated to be the owner of the account (i) who is then living, if the beneficiary is a natural person, or (ii) that maintains a lawful existence under the state or federal authority pursuant to which it was organized, if the beneficiary is not a natural person, shall be the sole owner of the account. If more than one beneficiary is so designated and then living or in existence, then those beneficiaries shall hold the account in equal shares as tenants in common with no right of survivorship as between those beneficiaries; and (d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in subsection (c), any holder of the account may elect a per stirpes distribution option to the descendants of a natural person beneficiary if the beneficiary predeceases the last surviving holder of the account. The institution may rely on the account holder's written representation of the identity of the descendants of each beneficiary living at the time of the beneficiary designation. The institution may also rely on an affidavit executed by a natural person beneficiary or descendant of a natural person beneficiary of the last surviving holder of the account upon or after the death of the account holder that identifies the descendants of any predeceased natural person beneficiary. The total percentage of the account to be distributed to all beneficiaries upon the death of the last surviving holder of the account must equal 100%. If no beneficiary designated as the owner of the account on the death of the last surviving holder is then living or in existence, or if a per stirpes distribution has been selected and no descendant of a natural person beneficiary is then living, then the proceeds shall vest in the estate of the last surviving holder of the account. (Source: P.A. 104-123, eff. 1-1-26.)