Who is entitled to the contents of a safe deposit box?

In Minnesota, the contents of a safe deposit box belong to the person or persons who have the right of survivorship, or the legal right to access the contents of the box in the event of the death of the other holder. This right is granted to joint tenants or tenants in common. If the deceased had a will, the contents of the safe deposit box are transferred to the beneficiaries named in the document. If the deceased did not have a will, the contents will be subject to the probate laws of Minnesota. Generally speaking, the contents of the box will be distributed to the deceased’s closest relatives in accordance with the probate process. The executor or administrator of the estate is responsible for locating and taking inventory of the contents of the box after the death of the holder. The executor should contact the safe deposit box institution to make arrangements for access. The executor will also need to provide the institution with valid proof of death and proof of the executor’s authority before they can gain access to the box. Once the executor has access to the box, they can take inventory of its contents and distribute them accordingly. Generally, the assets contained within the safe deposit box will be distributed according to the person’s will or, if there is no will, to the closest relatives of the deceased as stated in Minnesota’s probate law.

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