Can an investment company legally make inheritor's of stock by a parent open new accounts and charge a fee?

A parent dies leaving adult children her retirement stocks. The company where the stocks were invested is stating the only way that the children can get their inheritance is too open all new accounts for each adult child and charging them 1% to do it. This doesn't seem fair at all. What options are they intitled to free of charge?Can an investment company legally make inheritor's of stock by a parent open new accounts and charge a fee?
I think you should get a lawyer. This sounds shady to me.Can an investment company legally make inheritor's of stock by a parent open new accounts and charge a fee?
If they want to retain the investments in-kind (without making any changes) then I suppose this could be correct as the stocks couldn't remain inside an account for the deceased individual(s). The alternative would be to just sell the investments and take cash but there would likely be sales charges on that too.

concealer