Section 23-37-502 - Accounts in the names of two or more personsSavings accounts may be opened in any association or a federal association in the names of two (2) or more persons, either minor or adult, or a combination of minor and adult, and the savings accounts may be held as follows:
(1)(A) If the person opening the savings account fails to designate in writing the type of account intended, or if he or she designates in writing to the association that the account is to be a "joint tenancy" account or a "joint tenancy with right of survivorship" account, or that the account shall be payable to the survivors of the persons named in the account, then the account and all additions thereto shall be the property of those persons as joint tenants with right of survivorship.(B) These savings accounts may be paid to or on the order of any one (1) of the persons during his or her lifetime, unless a contrary written designation is given the association, or to or on the order of any one (1) of the survivors of them after the death of any one (1) or more of them.(C) The opening of the account in this form shall be conclusive evidence in any action or proceeding to which either the association or the surviving parties is a party, of the intention of all of the parties to the account to vest title to the account and the additions thereto in the survivors.(D) No association paying any survivor in accordance with the provisions of this section shall thereby be liable for any estate, inheritance, or succession taxes which may be due this state;(2) If the savings account is opened in the names of persons who designate themselves to the association as husband and wife, whether or not they are at the time in fact husband and wife, then the account and all additions thereto shall be the property of those persons as tenants by the entirety. Upon the death of one (1) of the persons, the account shall be payable to the survivor;(3) If the person opening a savings account designates in writing to the association that the account is to be a "tenants in common" account, then the account and all additions thereto shall be the property of those persons as tenants in common. The association, upon receipt of a specific written notice addressed to the association of the death of either party shall pay, upon the written order of the survivor, to the survivor, his or her pro rata part of the account and to the estate of the deceased owner, the deceased's pro rata part of the account. However, the association may pay the entire account and all additions thereto upon the receipt or acquittance of either party to the account prior to the time that a specific written notice of death is received as provided herein unless there has been filed with the association a written designation that more than one (1) signature is required to deal with the account. In the absence of any written designation to the contrary filed with the association, all tenants in common accounts shall be deemed to be owned pro rata by the persons named in the account;(4) If a savings account is opened in the name of two (2) or more persons, whether as joint tenants, tenants by the entirety, tenants in common, or otherwise, an association shall pay withdrawal requests, accept pledges of the account, recognize the granting of proxies to vote as members of the association, and otherwise deal in any manner with the account upon the direction of any one (1) of the persons named in the account, whether the other persons named in the account are living or not, unless one (1) of the persons named in the account shall, by written instructions delivered to the association, designate that the signature of more than one (1) person shall be required to deal with the savings account; or(5) If a person opening or holding a savings account shall execute and file with the association a designation that on the death of the person named as holder the account shall be paid to or held by another person, the account and any balance thereof which exists from time to time shall be held as a payment on death account and unless otherwise agreed between the persons opening the account and the association:(A) Upon the death of the holder of the account, the persons designated by him or her and who have survived him or her shall be the owners of the account as joint tenants with right of survivorship, if more than one (1). Any payment made by the association to any of those persons shall be a complete discharge of the association as to the amount paid;(B) The person to whom the account is issued may change during his or her lifetime the designation of any of the persons who are to be holders at his or her death, by a written direction accepted by the association;(C) The person to whom the account is issued may pledge, withdraw, or receive payment. Any payment made by the association shall be a complete discharge as to the amount paid.Acts 1963, No. 227, § 38; A.S.A. 1947, § 67-1838.