Court Opinion

ID: 9853589
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 05:50:51.579997+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:22:51.941199
License: Public Domain

Atkinson, Presiding Justice,
concurring specially. Were there an issue here as to the right of the sons to the entire proceeds of the bonds, I would dissent in part to the ruling as to the ownership of the bonds. There being none, I concur specially in so far as the above ruling relates to the question of advancements. I dissented from the ruling in Knight v. Wingate, 205 Ga. 133, though my reason therefor was not stated. It is my opinion that, under the Federal act in question, where bonds are issued jointly to two people, ordinarily it is a joint ownership and should be so considered in'the absence of anything to show otherwise. Under the facts there, which showed *293no gift under Code §§ 48-101, 48-102, and 48-103, by the husband to the wife of his interest therein, I do not think that the wife, upon his death, became the sole owner of the bonds. Her right to collect the proceeds after his death was nothing more than a contract with the Federal Government, made for its convenience and for the convenience of the husband and wife. The agreement to pay the amount of the bonds, in the event of the death of either, to the survivor, could have no legal significance other than to eliminate the legal formalities incident to the collection being made by a personal representative of either. The contract did not have the effect of conveying such title as the husband had in the bonds at the time of his death to the wife, but such title as he had in the bonds became a part of his estate and applied to any proceeds subsequently collected therefrom.
Under the facts in the instant case, I think that whatever interests the sons had in the bonds were received by them as advancements.