Update On My Rant With Red-Tape Bull~~NOT IN A GOOD MOOD!
By pyewacket
@pyewacket (43903)
United States
April 2, 2008 5:02pm CST
Okay I only started my first rant discussion the other day about my problems my bank is giving me about depositing that tax earned income credit of tax year 2003 due my mother, but since I'm her daughter, sole survivor and personal representative am entitled too. You can see that discussion here.
http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/1458716.aspx
Well I had gone to the bank yesterday and they weren't a help to me..the beech insisted that they couldn't deposit the check since it had both my name and my mother's name on it....the IRS WON'T issue the check solely in my name..I know this from the hassle I had before,...they have to have my mother's name on it to track who the money was originally intended for. Well I wasn't getting anywhere with the jerk I was dealing with yesterday, and she indicated that I should return today to talk to the big high mucky muck manager/supervisor--okay did that.
She was handing the same bullcrap as well..I showed the letter from last year of the Tax Advocate I had gotten indicating that as long as the first name of payee was mine, I could deposit the check in my account, didn't need to open up a separate account in both name and did NOT need the Letter of Administration or any other court appointment...the check has my name as first--which was why I WAS able to deposit the check into my account last year..well seems I can't with this check. The jerk did call the legal department, just like the person did for me last year and they did okay it then..well THEY DIDN'T OKAY IT NOW...they're are still insisting I get all that mumbo jumbo court appointments and Letters of Administration--
I'm trying to explain the hardship for me to go to Surrogate's Court which is a distance from me...I had gone once before in 2006 for something else related to my mother and by cab as it's the only way I can go...it cost me $40 round trip..I did have the extra money then..don't now...Also, when I had gone there it turned out to be a waste of time and money..I would need not only my mother's death certificate (got that) but my mother's ORIGINAL will..not the copy....she made her will in 1985 and as you can guess the law firm no longer exists...where her original will is then..no idea. I was also told I would need a Third Party Affidavit For Sole Distributee Child signed and notarized by a person who knew my mother for at least twenty years and would indicate my mother never remarried and that I am the sole survivor...all her friends are dead! This requirement seems to be the thing for Letters of Administration, Small Estates Affidavits and so forth. Also, I just looked up the fees for filing on their website..it would cost me at least $60 to fill and file all this nonsense---I don't have that spare money to spend!!!
So here I am, sitting on a nice refund check with a nice big amount and can't do shat with it...I plan to make a lot of phone calls tomorrow to just about anyone I can think of, including the Tax Advocate again (did call but just left a message as she wasn't there)..but I'M SO FED UP WITH THIS!!
RANT..RANT..RANT..Grrrrrrr
If any of you have any suggestions PLEASE let me know!!
8 people like this
15 responses
@blackbriar (9076)
• United States
2 Apr 08
WTF!!! I figured for sure talking to the super would of gotten the check deposited. I don't know what to say, pye. Wish I could help you out more but I'm out of ideas other than taking the bank to court, but that will also be money you don't have. Man, when my mom passes on, I hope my bro and I don't have these headaches to go thru as well.
4 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
3 Apr 08
Well leave it to my dear sweet, departed mom to make things Sooo easy for me. She never had a checking or savings account..got her SS and pension checks by mail..don't ask how many times they were lost in the mail She was a barrel full of laughs to deal with when alive...and still is now gone.
I'm hoping to contact as many people by phone, but won't be able to tomorrow but already emailed a lot of places tonight that might help me
2 people like this
@minnie_98214 (10557)
• United States
2 Apr 08
Wow just reading that got me all flustered lol. I dont know how you deal with it all. I wish you all the luck in the world youre gonna need it. Banks can be so much fun to deal with NOT.
4 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
3 Apr 08
Well lets put it this way I wanted to take the drink of juice or whatever the heck it was that was on her desk and spill it on the manager's head...LOL
Gonna contact a LOT of people about this crap--they haven't heard the last of me!
2 people like this
@Katlady2 (9904)
• United States
3 Apr 08
Oh good grief! Those people at the bank need to pull their heads out of their arses! How ridiculous! I wish I had some advice for you hon. But you're taking all of the steps I would be taking if I were in your shoes. If I can get any answers for you, I will definitely let you know.
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
3 Apr 08
I guess what is the real aggravating thing is that I already had so many ideas of how to spend the money...one is to get a desperately new bedframe and mattress..THAT is a necessity for me...the way my old bed is creaking and groaning, I just might fall through to visit the neighbors downstairs...heheeee
1 person likes this
@Aussies2007 (5336)
• Australia
2 Apr 08
1) Close your account and change of bank.
2) Get some liquid paper and remove the name of your mother on the cheque. Then initial it with the initials of the one who signed the cheque.
When the going get tough... the tough get going.
3 people like this
@Aussies2007 (5336)
• Australia
3 Apr 08
In Australia... as soon as someone is not happy with their bank... they change of bank.
We have a dozen banks here... all competing for their share of the market.
Quite Frankly... I don't understand why they are so pig headed about cashing that check if it has your name on it. I reckon they are giving you a hard time for the sake of giving you a hard time.
You had problems with them not long ago about a deduction in your account. If you give them a hard time... they will give you a hard time back... and you cannot beat them... because they have the money and the power.
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
3 Apr 08
The only other bank near me is WaMu..(Washington Mutual)...their reputation is worse believe it or not..mine is HSBC one of the top three in the world..mmm..top three for what? Aggravation??
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
3 Apr 08
Yes I did have that problem with that deduction that the bank had made, but I didn't give them a hard time about it. I mean yes, I AM affirmative in my approaches or should I say assertive with dealing with people, but I never carry on like a raving,ranting screaming lunatic the way many people will (I save my ranting for here)...that gets you nowhere--but I remain nice, pleasant and calm...uh, even though I would like to throw a bucket of water over the other person's head
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
3 Apr 08
Well when I got in contact with my Congressman last year it was for the SSI benefit problem I had...my Senator here though is Hillary Clinton...uh, think she's a bit busy now..heheh
Did rattle off emails to a whole bunch of places though tonight including my Congressman's office, Banking Commission, Attorney general, gee, you name it. I won't have a chance to make phone calls to anyone tomorrow as I have to make up for all the other errands I've been wanting to do the past two days but was busy wasting time at the bank both days--if I manage some time will begin calls tomorrow, if not definitely Friday
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
3 Apr 08
Unfortunately I won't be able to make phone calls tomorrow as I have to make up the errands I SHOULD'VE been doing the past two days instead of wasting my time at the bank both days..but have a whole list of places to call on Friday...if there's some way I do have time will start calls tomorrow, but like I said have other things to do tomorrow
2 people like this
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
3 Apr 08
It sounds like alot of bull to me. I am sorry that you are having such a hard time. I would definitely get ahold of the advocate to help you again. I hope you get it all straightened out without involving the court.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
3 Apr 08
I know does sound like bullcrap to me too...I've been a customer of the bank for twenty years too, doesn't that count??
1 person likes this
@avonrep1 (1862)
• United States
4 Apr 08
Pye, so sorry you are having problems getting this fixed. I don't really know what you can do, just wanted you to know, that I feel for you and I hope that things turn out okay, and that they will cash it at some point without you having to go to the expense of all that. That is why I am going to make a video will, along with my written one, so then if there is any questions, when I die, all you will have to do is throw in a DVD to see, what and who gets what. (Wish it was that easy for you)
1 person likes this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
4 Apr 08
this is awful,
being in canada I cannot give you much advice,
here we have a public records office, so that if the will was filed with the lawyer there is a chance that the original was filed with your public records office,
about the bank,
here in canada, if you cannot get satisfaction with the branch level, you go to the head office of the bank in whatever state that might me located, in our country it is a province. I had to do that to get something resolved, then if they can't help you there is what we call an ombudsman's office, that is a private party that investigates and decides if you have a right to what you are asking for or not,
if you don't have an ombudsman's office, it might be the solicitor something or other, I would say solicitor general but that might be just the canadian but is is solicitor something or other in the states as well, or no then again in the states I think it is the attorney general for your state.
1 person likes this
@emeraldisle (13139)
• United States
4 Apr 08
I hope you feel better after venting that way. I know I'd be seriously upset with the bank as well. The only suggestion I can think of at this point, get another bank. This one obviously doesn't care about it's members or it wouldn't treat you that way. The only other thing I can suggest is see if someplace like Amscott would cash the check, not sure if they would or not but might be worth checking into. It might be cheaper to pay their fee then going all over the place to gt the info your bank wants.
I hope the tax advocate was able to help you with this. If not maybe the Banking Commission for your state? Perhaps they could be of assistance? Kind of grasping at straws here.
@emeraldisle (13139)
• United States
5 Apr 08
I wish you luck with this. It sounds like if you make enough noise they might do it to make you quiet. Lets face it the squeaky wheel does get the grease.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
4 Apr 08
The only other bank near me is a WaMu...don't ask the horror stories I've heard about them which makes them sound a hundred times worse then mine. Yes there are check cashing places..problem there too. I tried to cash the other check there last year...one, they would take a really enormous fee from the check...like a few hundred (this is a large check)--and while I do have a photo ID...it's not the kind they accept and don't have the funds to get the "proper" kind
Been emailing everyone I can think of including my Congressman, Bank Commission, etc...today I even emailed consumer groups from the media..if all this gets back to the bank, as I left their phone and address of my bank, the bank might wind up accepting the check just to shut me up..hehe
1 person likes this
@Aurone (4755)
• United States
3 Apr 08
I can't believe this is happening to you again! The only things I can think of, is trying to cash it somewhere else, like another bank or another branch of your current bank. I don't know if places like Wal-mart that cash checks would cash a check like that, but if you could get there easily it might not hurt to try? I have had the same kind of problem's in the past when family writes checks to me and my husband, fortunately he is still around to go to the bank with me, but it can get sticky if my family puts my maiden name on a check--since I no longer have any ID with that name on it. My bank is pretty cool about that kind of thing and I haven't had nearly the trouble that you have had.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
4 Apr 08
There are no WalMarts near me..LOL...yup probably one of the few people on this planet where there's no handy Walmart nearby. They do have check casher places near me but thing is they would take a REAL hefty deduction from the check, and why should I have that?
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
3 Apr 08
Wow...it seems that you just went through this hassle not too long ago. I'd say the Tax Advocate that helped you last time is probably the one to run to this time. You'd think that since it all got worked out with the bank last time around that they'd have sense enough to realize that it is ok to cash it this time around. Is this going to be an every year thing? If so, I'd keep up on phone numbers with that Tax Advocate if I were you.
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
4 Apr 08
Well I did email a lot of places just last night including the main branch of my bank..and I let them KNOW who I was contacting like my Congressman, etc....I just haven't had the time to make calls to anyone today as I had to make up for all the errands I needed to do the past two days just wasting time at the bank nearly all day, for two days--but yes will contact that Tax Advocate
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
3 Apr 08
man..they'll just do anything to make someone's life harder :(
i do have one idea-try calling a private check cashing service.most of them see it's a government check,and that's good enough for them.they may take a cashing fee,but i'd be way less then you'd pay for all the other stuff,you'd still get the lion's share.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
4 Apr 08
No would have problems there...when I had gotten that first check and at first my bank refused to let me deposit the check I couldn't...I do have a Photo ID but it's not one they accept..they need either a passport, or Driver's ID...--have neither..and even if I could get it cashed at a check casher's place they would take a LOT of a deduction from the check amount, like a few hundred...this IS a large amount check
@sumofalltears (3988)
• United States
3 Apr 08
Maybe among your phone calls tomorrow you can call your state representative or senator and see what they suggest. I don't see how they can refuse to take the check this time when they did it last time. You may also try asking the commissioner of banking what they suggest you do. The Commissioner of Banking is on line and you can submit your questions on line.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
3 Apr 08
My state senator is non other than Hillary herself..think she's a bit busy now..heehehe. I did just now though most of the night send emails to my Congressman though, plus NY State Attorney, yes, the Banking commission, Federal Reserve, and just about anyone I could think of...Plus make phone calls if not tomorrow definitely Friday--I have so many friggin errands to catch up with that I didn't do the past two days because of going to the bank both days and wasting all that time. Hoping to get back home early enough to start though with the calls
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (45430)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
3 Apr 08
How about taking it to the press? Get an investigative reporter or the financial reporter on it.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
4 Apr 08
Not a bad idea BarBara....I could maybe email to those places..all the news media have websites and usually a consumer action person that helps people--good idea