Disclaimer: This is educational information, not legal advice. I am not a lawyer. For advice about your specific situation, consult a licensed Alaska attorney.

Detailed answer

Assume a parent (the decedent) had a joint bank account. A person acting as the estate’s administrator or personal representative closed that account after the death and did so without telling other joint owners or known heirs. Under Alaska law, the personal representative has duties to notify interested persons, preserve estate assets, and account for estate transactions. If the administrator closed the account improperly or took funds, heirs and interested persons can take several steps to challenge the action and protect or recover funds.

Legal framework (Alaska)

Probate and administration rules in Alaska are found in Title 13 of the Alaska Statutes (probate and estates). The personal representative’s duties, the court’s authority to require accountings, and remedies for misconduct flow from Alaska probate law and the Alaska Superior Court’s probate procedures. See Title 13, Alaska Statutes for probate law: https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp?title=13.

What likely happened and why it matters

Joint accounts commonly either pass automatically to the surviving joint owner (right of survivorship) or become part of the decedent’s probate estate depending on account terms and state law. If the joint account named surviving joint owners, the surviving owner typically has a claim to the funds. If the account was incorrectly treated as an estate asset and closed by the administrator, heirs may have claims for improper handling, conversion, or breach of fiduciary duty.

Immediate actions to protect your rights

1. Preserve documents: Collect the decedent’s will (if any), bank statements, signature cards, the death certificate, any letters of administration, and any written notices from the bank or administrator.
2. Ask the bank for written explanation and records: Request from the bank (in writing) why the account was closed, who authorized the closure, and copies of transaction records and the account agreement or signature card. Banks usually keep records of signatures and withdrawal instructions.
3. Demand an accounting from the administrator: Send a written demand for a full accounting of the account and any estate transactions. Keep a dated copy.
4. Contact the probate court clerk: Confirm whether probate has been opened, whether the administrator has letters of administration, and whether any inventory or accounting has been filed.

Short-term legal remedies in Alaska

If voluntary cooperation fails, Alaska law and the probate court can provide remedies:

• Petition for an accounting: Ask the probate court to compel the administrator to file an accounting showing all receipts and disbursements involving the account.
• Request an injunction or temporary relief: If the administrator is dissipating assets, you can ask the court for emergency relief to freeze remaining estate assets or prevent further transfers.
• Move to remove the personal representative: If the administrator breached duties, you can petition the court for removal and replacement.
• Seek surcharge or damages: The court can order a personal representative to repay funds taken improperly and may assess damages for conversion or breach of fiduciary duty.
• Civil claims: If funds are gone, heirs may have civil claims (conversion, theft, unjust enrichment) against the administrator or any third party that received diverted funds.

How to ask the court for relief (practical steps)

1. File a probate petition or a motion in the probate case asking for a formal accounting and explaining the facts (who closed the account, when, and why you believe heirs were not notified).
2. Attach supporting evidence: bank correspondence, death certificate, any letters of administration, and a timeline of transactions if you can assemble one.
3. Ask for specific interim orders: production of bank records, temporary freeze of remaining funds, and a hearing on removal or surcharge if appropriate.
4. Serve the administrator and other interested persons per the court’s rules so they receive notice of your petition.

Evidence you will need

• Death certificate
• Account agreements, signature cards, and bank statements showing account status before and after death
• Letters of administration or other court documents naming the administrator
• Written communications from the bank or administrator about the closure
• Witness statements or other records of who had access and who acted on the account

Timing and practical considerations

Act quickly. Records are time-sensitive; banks keep transaction records for limited periods. If funds were removed, delay can weaken the chance of recovering them. Probate actions often have deadlines for inventories and accountings; confirming whether a probate case exists and the current status is essential.

When to contact an attorney

If the administrator refuses to cooperate, has spent funds, or if the bank will not provide records, consult an Alaska probate attorney. An attorney can draft court pleadings, request emergency relief, and pursue civil claims. If money is substantial or wrongdoing is alleged, an attorney will help protect your rights and points you to court procedures under Title 13 of the Alaska Statutes: https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp?title=13.

Helpful Hints

• Start with the bank: get the official written reason and transaction records. Banks often require a death certificate before releasing records.
• Document everything: dates, names, phone calls, who you spoke to, and what they said. Save emails and letters.
• Send a formal written demand for accounting to the administrator via certified mail. This creates a record of your request.
• Check whether the account was truly a survivorship joint account or community property. The account agreement and bank signature card often control.
• Contact the probate clerk at the Alaska Superior Court in the relevant judicial district to learn whether any probate case or letters of administration exist.
• Consider mediation or negotiation if the sums involved are small and the administrator cooperates. Court action is slower and costs more.
• Preserve electronic data: request bank records quickly because older records may be archived.
• If you believe there was theft or criminal conduct, you may also report the matter to local law enforcement—criminal authorities can investigate theft, fraud, or embezzlement.
• If you are on the joint account and the bank closed it citing policy, ask the bank for a clear statement of policy in writing and whether it considered pay-on-death or survivorship designations.