Sundown, NY Estate Planning Law Firms & Lawyers

It depends entirely on how you are the beneficiary. Many bank accounts are created with their own beneficiary designations, and they are sometimes called payable on death or "POD" accounts. If that's what you're dealing with, all you should have to do is present the bank with proof of the death and your identity. If you mean that you're a beneficiary under a Will or Trust, the process gets quite a bit more involved and depends on many facts that you don't really spell out in your question.

You don't explain why the lawyer believes this is the best course of action. Is your mother not able to handle the job? Would inheriting the assets of his estate cause her harm in some way? Which rights does he want her to waive? All I can recommend is contacting another lawyer and asking for advice.