Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 5120. Section 5120.
Unless the provision or context otherwise requires, the definitions in this article govern the construction of this part.
ARTICLE 2. Definitions [5120. - 5152.]
Cal. Probate Code - PROB 2.
in effectCal. Probate Code - PROB § 5122. Section 5122.
(a)
“Account” means a contract of deposit of funds between a depositor and a financial institution, and includes a checking account, savings account, certificate of deposit, share account, and other like arrangement.
(b)
“Account” does not include:
(1)
An account established for deposit of funds of a partnership, joint venture, or other association for business purposes.
(2)
An account controlled by one or more persons as the duly authorized agent or trustee for a corporation, unincorporated association, or charitable or civic organization.
(3)
A regular fiduciary or trust account where the relationship is established other than by deposit agreement.
(4)
An account established for the deposit of funds of the estate of a ward, conservatee, or decedent.
Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 5124. Section 5124.
“Agent” means a person who has a present right, subject to request, to payment from an account as an attorney in fact under a power of attorney.
Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 5126. Section 5126.
“Beneficiary” means a person named in a Totten trust account as one for whom a party to the account is named as trustee.
Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 5128. Section 5128.
“Financial institution” includes:
(a)
A financial institution as defined in Section 40.
(b)
An industrial loan company as defined in Section 18003 of the Financial Code.
Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 5130. Section 5130.
“Joint account” means an account payable on request to one or more of two or more parties whether or not mention is made of any right of survivorship.
Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 5132. Section 5132.
A “multiple-party account” is any of the following types of account:
(a)
A joint account.
(b)
A P.O.D. account.
(c)
A Totten trust account.
Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 5134. Section 5134.
(a)
“Net contribution” of a party to an account as of any given time is the sum of all of the following:
(1)
All deposits thereto made by or for the party, less all withdrawals made by or for the party that have not been paid to or applied to the use of any other party.
(2)
A pro rata share of any interest or dividends earned, whether or not included in the current balance.
(3)
Any proceeds of deposit life insurance added to the account by reason of the death of the party whose net contribution is in question.
(b)
In the absence of proof otherwise:
(1)
Only parties who have a present right of withdrawal shall be considered as having a net contribution.
(2)
The net contribution of each of the parties having a present right of withdrawal is deemed to be an equal amount.
(c)
It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this section to provide a definition for the purpose of determining ownership interests in an account as between the parties to the account, and not as between the parties and the financial institution.
Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 5136. Section 5136.
(a)
“Party” means a person who, by the terms of the account, has a present right, subject to request, to payment from a multiple-party account other than as an agent.
(b)
A P.O.D. payee is a party, by reason of being a P.O.D. payee, only after the account becomes payable to the payee by reason of surviving all persons named as original payees.
(c)
A beneficiary of a Totten trust account is a party, by reason of being a beneficiary, only after the account becomes payable to the beneficiary by reason of surviving all persons named as trustees.
Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 5138. Section 5138.
“Payment” of sums on deposit includes all of the following:
(a)
A withdrawal, including payment on check or other directive of a party.
(b)
A pledge of sums of deposit.
(c)
A setoff, reduction, or other disposition of all or part of an account pursuant to a pledge.
Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 5139. Section 5139.
“P.O.D.” means pay on death.
Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 5140. Section 5140.
“P.O.D. account” means any of the following:
(a)
An account payable on request to one person during the person’s lifetime and on the person’s death to one or more P.O.D. payees.
(b)
An account payable on request to one or more persons during their lifetimes and on the death of all of them to one or more P.O.D. payees.
Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 5142. Section 5142.
“P.O.D. payee” means a person designated on a P.O.D. account as one to whom the account is payable on request after the death of one or more persons.
Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 5144. Section 5144.
“Proof of death” includes any of the following:
(a)
An original or attested or certified copy of a death certificate.
(b)
A record or report that is prima facie evidence of death under Section 103550 of the Health and Safety Code, Sections 1530 to 1532, inclusive, of the Evidence Code, or another statute of this state.
Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 5146. Section 5146.
Except to the extent the terms of the account or deposit agreement expressly provide otherwise, a financial institution “receives” an order or notice under this part when it is received by the particular office or branch office of the financial instutition where the account is carried.
Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 5148. Section 5148.
“Request” means a proper request for withdrawal, including a check or order for payment, that complies with all conditions of the account (including special requirements concerning necessary signatures) and regulations of the financial institution; but, if the financial institution conditions withdrawal or payment on advance notice, for purposes of this part the request for withdrawal or payment is treated as immediately effective and a notice of intent to withdraw is treated as a request for withdrawal.
Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 5150. Section 5150.
“Sums on deposit” means both of the following:
(a)
The balance payable on an account, including interest and dividends earned, whether or not included in the current balance.
(b)
Any life insurance proceeds added to the account by reason of the death of a party.
Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 5152. Section 5152.
“Withdrawal” includes payment to a third person pursuant to a check or other directive of a party or an agent.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026