My mom passed away last year. I believe she had a safe deposit box. My brother is executor and he does not know. How can we find out? What will we need to do to access it? How much time do we have to find it?
Often a safe deposit box key will be in a small envelope with the bank's name on it, or the bank routing number may be stamped on the key itself. In the absence of these, look at her bank statements and see if you can find that a fee was paid for an annual rental. Your last option is to write to all the banks you believe she may have had this or another account with, and ask. Do this as the executor, as that person will have the authority to handle her affairs. Indicate what has happened and that you are seeking out any accounts she currently has. Don't limit yourself to safe deposit box accounts. Checking or savings accounts may exist as well and sometimes these include some type of insurance. Most banks will affirm that there is or is not an account to the executor who can then react appropriately.
As to a time frame, most boxes are leased on an annual basis. If the new payment is not made the bank would attempt to collect what is owed and eventually drill the box open. The contents would be inventoried and eventually turned over to the state according to that state's escheat laws.
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Often a safe deposit box key will be in a small envelope with the bank's name on it, or the bank routing number may be stamped on the key itself. In the absence of these, look at her 