Is it legal for a person to sign their spouse’s name?
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Is it legal for a person to sign their spouse’s name?
I work at a bank. Today my boss accepted a signature card for a joint account; the husband signed both his and his wife’s signatures even though she wasn’t present. I called my boss out on this. She said it was perfectly legal for a someone to sign their spouse’s name with permission. She said she knows the couple well and that it is all legal. I still don’t feel this can be right. This can create a whole mess of problems; I am sure that the law couldn’t begin to cover if it is allowed.
Asked on July 25, 2012 under Family Law, Missouri
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
Under the laws of all states in this country, if one person has given permission to another person to sign his or her name (particularly in a marriage situation) such is acceptable.
However, you are correct from a business perspective, particulary with a bank that it is best to not have another person sign a name to a document that does not belong to the person who is signing the document.
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