As soon as your father-in-law passed away, the power of attorney was no longer valid. If your husband doesn’t have a power of attorney for his mother, you may need to pursue a guardianship in order to get access to her account. For information on guardianships, click here. We strongly recommend you consult with an elder law attorney to find out your options. Here is a directory of attorneys: http://www.elderlawanswers.com/elder-law-attorneys.
For more information about powers of attorney, click here.