Maine Revised Statutes Title 18-C. Probate Code § 6-212. Rights at death

1. Multiple-party account. Except as otherwise provided in this Part, on death of a party sums on deposit in a multiple-party account belong to the surviving party or parties. If 2 or more parties survive and one is the surviving spouse of the decedent, the amount to which the decedent, immediately before death, was beneficially entitled under section 6-211 belongs to the surviving spouse. If 2 or more parties survive and none is the surviving spouse of the decedent, the amount to which the decedent, immediately before death, was beneficially entitled under section 6-211 belongs to the surviving parties in equal shares and augments the proportion to which each survivor, immediately before the decedent's death, was beneficially entitled under section 6-211, and the right of survivorship continues between the surviving parties.

2. POD designation. In an account with a POD designation:

3. No POD designation; no right of survivorship. Sums on deposit in a single-party account without a POD designation, or in a multiple-party account that, by the terms of the account, is without right of survivorship, are not affected by death of a party, but the amount to which the decedent, immediately before death, was beneficially entitled under section 6-211 is transferred as part of the decedent's estate. A POD designation in a multiple-party account without right of survivorship is ineffective. For purposes of this section, designation of an account as a tenancy in common establishes that the account is without right of survivorship.

4. Liability for unpaid requests for payment. The ownership right of a surviving party or beneficiary, or of the decedent's estate, in sums on deposit is subject to requests for payment made by a party before the party's death, whether paid by the financial institution before or after death or unpaid. The surviving party or beneficiary, or the decedent's estate, is liable to the payee of an unpaid request for payment. The liability is limited to a proportionate share of the amount transferred under this section, to the extent necessary to discharge the request for payment.