It may appear that appointing a candidate for investments is a minor and optional operation. It is, nonetheless, extremely important after the investor's death. It's also crucial to name a legal heir and write a will to ensure that the assets go to the correct heirs.
A nominee is merely a caretaker in technical terms. They are the ones in charge of guaranteeing that the depositor's legal heir receives the money from a fixed deposit. While the nominee may be the same as the legal heir at times, their status as nominee implies they don't actually own the money.
A legal heir is a person or persons who, under the terms of a will or succession laws, are entitled to receive the assets and property of a deceased person. A will is a legal document that expresses the wishes of a property owner about the transfer of his or her possessions after death.
According to Hindu succession law, if a man dies without leaving a will, his property will be passed down to his Class I heirs. Otherwise, it can be claimed by Class II heirs.
1) The widow, children, and mother are all considered Class I heirs.
2) Father, grandchild, great-grandchild, sister, brother, and other relatives make up Class II heirs. For a woman, the property is divided equally between her husband and children.
Mentioned below are the major distinctions between a nominee and a legal heir. The table below will display nominee Vs. Legal heirs for fixed deposits.
The Nominees are nominated in fixed deposits and other investments solely because the actual investor's funds are not held back by banks or other organizations and are transferred to someone the investor can trust. It also assures the investment that the nominee will ensure that the assets are distributed to all lawful heirs without difficulty.
If the depositor does not name a nominee, legal heirs will have to go to the trouble of proving their relationship and obtaining a death certificate in order to get the funds. If the nominee is appointed, the entire process is bypassed, and the money is transferred to the legal heirs by the nominee.
An investor should specify who will be the legal heirs to all of his or her investments, property, and assets in his or her will. When the account holder specifies the legal heirs, all investment proceeds from fixed assets will be distributed to them via the nominee, if any.
Otherwise, the legal heirs will be required to present several proofs, such as a death certificate and proof of relationship with the dead, among other things. If the investor or owner prepares a will, it is preferable to disperse the assets after his death to prevent all such complications for the legal heirs.
The following are some things to keep in mind while appointing a nominee:
It is critical to ensure that there are no spelling problems when nominating someone for investment. To avoid any conflicts, all of the nominee's details, such as name, address, date of birth, and relationship to the account holder, must be correct. It's also crucial to specify the percentage share of each nominee if there are multiple nominees.
If the nominee is a minor, the name of an elderly family member must be included as a guardian.
Most investors offer nomination information when they purchase an asset. They frequently forget about it. However - it is a good idea to double-check the nomination information from time to time.
To avoid any potential disagreements, it is vital to keep the facts up to date. It's also critical to update the information if the nominee's spelling or name changes. Furthermore, in the event of the nominee's death, modifications to the nominations must be made and updated across all papers.
Without submitting a succession certificate, all institutions, including banks, transfer assets to the nominee. In the meanwhile, the family will be unable to access or obtain the settlement of the investments. As a result - it is vital to review and update all nomination details on a regular basis.
A person can legally appoint anyone as a nominee. Close family members and legal heirs, on the other hand, should be nominated as nominees. To avoid any potential succession rights issues, it's always preferable to have the FD nominee and legal heir be the same individual.
If no legitimate heir claims the assets, the nominee will be forced to keep them permanently. The law in India does not provide a deadline by which the legal heir must claim the assets.
It's possible that having the nominee and legal heir be the same person will cause issues. If other legal heirs do not claim their portion of the asset, for example, the FD nominee can assume that the legal heir has relinquished their rights. The reasonable time before which the heir's act is typically decided on a case-by-case basis by the supreme court.