81-14-359 - Joint accounts. - Mississippi Statutes

§ 81-14-359. Joint accounts.
 

(1)  Accounts may be in the name of two (2) or more persons, whether minor or adult, in such form that the money in the accounts are payable to either adult, or their survivors, and such money due under such accounts, and all additions thereto, shall be the property of such persons as joint tenants with the right of survivorship. The money due under such accounts may be paid to, or on the order of, any one of such persons during his lifetime or to, or on the order of, any one of the survivors of such persons. The opening of the account in such form shall be conclusive evidence with regard to the liability of the savings bank of the intention of all of the parties to the account to vest title to money due under the account and the additions thereto in such survivor or survivors. By written instructions given to the savings bank by all parties to the account, the signatures of more than one (1) of such persons during their lifetime, or of more than one (1) of the survivors after the death of any one of them, may be required for withdrawal, in which case the savings bank shall pay the money in the account only in accordance with such instructions. However, no such instructions shall limit the right of the survivor or survivors to receive the money in the account. By written agreement with the savings bank, any person may create a joint account with other persons as joint tenants with the right of survivorship and such agreement may be signed only by the persons creating the account. 

(2)  The savings bank, unless instructed in writing to the contrary, may loan money to any one or more persons constituting a single membership or account as joint tenants with the right of survivorship, and any person authorized to make withdrawals as provided in this section may pledge, hypothecate or assign all, or any part of, the money due, or to become due, under such account. Any such pledge, hypothecation or assignment, or any increase to, or withdrawal from, the account shall not destroy the joint tenancy with the right of survivorship. 

(3)  Payment of all or any of the money in such account, as provided in this section, shall discharge the savings bank from liability with respect to the money so paid, prior to receipt by the savings bank of a court order. After receipt of such court order, a savings bank may refuse, without liability, to honor any withdrawal on the account pending determination of the rights of the parties. No savings bank 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 owed to this state. 
 

Sources: Laws,  1992, ch. 489, § 88; reenacted without change, Laws,  1997, ch. 364, § 90; reenacted without change, Laws, 2001, ch. 457, § 90, eff from and after July 1, 2001.