Ala. Code § 5-17-16
Whenever a person shall die leaving a share or deposit account in a credit union not exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000), the credit union having the share or deposit account may discharge itself from liability thereafter by paying the funds in the share or deposit account to the widow or surviving husband of the deceased or, if there is no widow or surviving husband, to the persons having the actual custody or control of the minor child or children of the deceased; provided, that such person, if not the legal guardian, shall execute to the probate judge of the county a bond in the penal sum of double the amount of such deposit for the faithful accounting of the money so received, which shall be approved by the probate judge, or, if there is no minor child or children, to the person or persons who under the laws of Alabama are the heirs and inherit the personal property of the deceased. No such payment is to be made before the lapse of 60 days from the date of the death of the deceased, and no such payment must be made by the credit union under this section if letters testamentary or of administration have been issued to a personal representative or a proceeding is pending to probate a will of the deceased, or if a petition of letters of administration on the estate of the deceased is pending in the court in this state which would have jurisdiction of the administration of the estate. The amount or amounts of the share or deposit account, together with the other personal property of the deceased, shall not exceed the amount of exemption allowed by law, and the credit union shall be fully protected and discharged from further liability by paying such funds to the person or persons set forth above if the credit union obtains an affidavit of some reputable citizen as to such facts.
Ala. Code § 5-17-16 (1975)