Edward Jones Customer Service Issues

My mother had requested to sell her mutual funds, with the intent to send the funds to our joint checking account for distribution after her passing. Unfortunately, she passed away the day after the sell order was placed. The investment firm has now liquidated the funds but is holding the cash in their account. They are insisting on following typical procedures which involve creating an estate, appointing an executor, and going through legal processes before transferring the money to our bank. They claim that due to the three-day process of selling the mutual funds and my mother's passing, they cannot proceed without these formalities. My sister, who is a client of Edward Jones, and I are both feeling upset by this delay as we had hoped for a more straightforward process. My mother and I were investors with a different firm than my sister.

I have both a traditional and Roth IRA and would like to convert an American fund from the Traditional to the Roth. My local agent mentioned that I have to sell what is in the traditional account and then repurchase it in my Roth account. I remember in the past a direct transfer was an option. I also wanted to transfer a stock in a "transfer in kind" from the traditional to the Roth, but was informed again that I had to sell the stock and repurchase it. I am working with a new Edward Jones agent and I just need some clarification. Thank you.

My family is currently dealing with the unfortunate passing of our father, and we are now in the process of closing our parents' account with Edward Jones. We have all the necessary legal documentation for this request, having already closed his State retirement account smoothly. Our aim is to receive one check made payable to the estate so that we can deposit it into the estate account. This step is crucial as it will enable the executor of the will to handle tax payments, property repairs, and other necessary expenses outlined in the will. However, the Edward Jones office is insisting that all five children must open individual accounts with them for the funds to be disbursed equally. The lack of clear information about whether this requirement is based on State law or just a company policy is causing confusion and suspicion. It feels unreasonable and raises concerns as to why this additional step is necessary.