In a joint account with survivorship, on the death of one holder, what happens to the deceased's share?

• A. It goes to the surviving holder
• B. The deceased's share passes to the estate
• C. Creditors may reach the funds upon death
• D. The account is severed on death

Answer: (A)

In a joint account with survivorship, ownership passes to the surviving holder automatically when one owner dies. The deceased’s interest is terminated at death and vests entirely in the survivor, so the survivor becomes the sole owner of the funds. This arrangement avoids probate for the account and ensures continuity for the surviving holder.

Thus, the deceased’s share does not go to the estate, and the account isn’t severed in a way that puts the funds into the deceased’s probate estate. While creditors may have claims to the deceased’s other assets or estates, the funds in a survivorship joint account switch directly to the surviving owner, not to the deceased’s estate.