When a family member falls ill, questions about their finances often arise. A common scenario involves a bank account, an unmarried partner (like a girlfriend of 12 years), and a concerned family. If you are asking, "Does my brother's girlfriend get the money in his account if he passes away?"  the answer lies in understanding two critical legal concepts: Payable on Death (POD)  and Probate . What is "Payable on Death" (POD)? A Payable on Death (POD)  recipient is essentially