tbimm Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Most of you know my father passed away last week. He has been sick for a few years now but always felt like he had time to do this stuff. Well guess what? He didn't! It is a nightmare just trying to change the power bill from his name to his roomates. I can't access his bank account. Social security won't even talk to me until I have a death certificate (Which takes 2 to 3 weeks in Orleans parish)! We aren't talking about an estate here either. A $2500.00 minivan. A bank account that is rarely larger than his $1100.00 social security check. The rest is just utilities that I want to switch to his roomates name so I am not responsible down the line for any bills incurred in his name. No debts. No assets. Just please make sure your kids don't have to go through this no matter what you are worth! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 very sorry about you going thru this...when my 25-yr old sis died, pennies to her name, my mom just asked that I shut off the cell phone. I just called Sprint, probably weeping...all I remember doing is paying her final bill, but her roommate's cell was also linked, and it shut them both off...the roomie went ballistic on me, but long story short, good riddance to her...be careful about those roommates Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuke'em ttg Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Most of you know my father passed away last week.He has been sick for a few years now but always felt like he had time to do this stuff. Well guess what? He didn't! It is a nightmare just trying to change the power bill from his name to his roomates. I can't access his bank account. Social security won't even talk to me until I have a death certificate (Which takes 2 to 3 weeks in Orleans parish)! We aren't talking about an estate here either. A $2500.00 minivan. A bank account that is rarely larger than his $1100.00 social security check. The rest is just utilities that I want to switch to his roomates name so I am not responsible down the line for any bills incurred in his name. No debts. No assets. Just please make sure your kids don't have to go through this no matter what you are worth! how'd i miss this This is serious business ......Lucky for me my Mom & Dad went through the estate chit/Power of Attorney when my Uncle died 15 years ago and said after 8 trips down to Florida that they are gettin all their stuff ready for me......A Legal Will and Power Of Attorney is a great thing to bring up in discussion and plan for with the folks and in your own life......always better when everyone is feelin good BUT take the time One Question: My Mom 72 does she have to file an Income Tax for "08" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Irish Doggy Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Red tape can be very frustrating. Good luck man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millerx Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 WOW! As tragic as this topic is, it makes me feel fortunate for my wife and I to have gone ahead and set up a Will, a Trust, and Power of Attorney for our family. Originally we were just going to do a will, but once we started talking to the attorney, he convinced us to go ahead and wrap up all the loose ends. He made a great sales pitch about making the problems and roadblocks families incur much harder without a trust or power of attorney; and how much easier you will make it for those who are left in charge of our estate. With it, nothing gets tied up in courts or is decided by courts, etc. Those that you want to making decisions for your children's best interests, will be allowed to...I was still wondering how much was a sales pitch and how much of it was truth. Sounds like we made the right decision, and all we had to do was to make a few extra payments that are out of the way now. I guess I will know I can smile when I see that bridge iMpartment coming at me at 70 miles an hour! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perchoutofwater Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 tbimm, sorry about your dad. My MIL was pretty much the same situation, she had been sick (cancer) for 5 years on and off. She didn't have a huge estate but she did have a little bit. Selling the house was the biggest PITA. My wife, me, and another couple have taken a number of bare-boat sailing vacations in the Caribean last 5 or 6 years. Right before we took our first one, we went to the the lawyer and financial planner and got all our affairs in order just in case something were to happen. Me and my wife of POA for each other, and should something happen to both of us, my brother has power of attorney, my wife's sister and her husband get the kids with an allowance being paid to her, the kids have trusts set up. If that sister-in-law moves away from our area the kids go to another sister-in-law and her husband as long as my parents are still alive. The house is to be sold 1/2 goes to a trust set up to pay my SIL an allowance to keep the kids the other 1/2 is then split and goes to the kids trusts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmarc117 Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 from this issue of money mag......... Estate planning 101 * Six things every family needs A will to say who gets what and name guardians for kids. A health-care proxy which empowers a person to make medical decisions for you if you're incapacitated. A living will which states your wishes regarding extreme medical treatment. A durable power of attorney which names a person who can make financial decisions for you if you are unable to. Life insurance to replace some income if one of the family's earners dies. Disability insurance to replace income if one of the family's earners is hurt or ill and unable to work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millerx Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 from this issue of money mag.........QUOTEEstate planning 101 * Six things every family needs A will to say who gets what and name guardians for kids. A health-care proxy which empowers a person to make medical decisions for you if you're incapacitated. A living will which states your wishes regarding extreme medical treatment. A durable power of attorney which names a person who can make financial decisions for you if you are unable to. Life insurance to replace some income if one of the family's earners dies. Disability insurance to replace income if one of the family's earners is hurt or ill and unable to work. Whew! 6 for 6 on this!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egret Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Tbimm, sorry about your father. My mother-in-law is going through the power of attorney stuff now for her mother. I also remember all of the things that my mom had to do when my father passed away. She had problems getting the benefits from everywhere. She had to hire a lawyer to help out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbimm Posted January 10, 2009 Author Share Posted January 10, 2009 Well, the plot thickens. So yesterday I go to the funeral home to get the ashes and the death certificates. Not as emotional a process as I expected and now it is go time. I can take care of all the things I need to. First stop is dads old apt to take his 'room mate' to the bank to close out the joint account they had. First road block. She doesn't want to go and tells me there is already less money in the account than the 1106.00 that SS deposited in the account after he died. Big problem as I think I may have to pay that money back to the government at some point. I feared this may happen but nobody would talk to me without a death certificate! With this knowledge I decide it is best to get everything of his out of the apt so as not to wind up losing anything to this crazy bitch! My next stop is the bank but the person I needed to see wasn't in as she left early and won't be back until tues. New plan..... I figured out his pin # and tried to remove the rest of the money in the account. Wrong again, crazy bitch called the bank and told them dad was dead and they deactivated his card! I call her and tell her in not so nice words that all of his SS money had better be back in the account before I get to the bank on tues or I will be calling the authorities to let them know that money that doesn't belong to us is missing and that I have had no access to this account ever including after his death! I am not even sure if I have to pay this money back or not. If not I won't be getting rich off of it but it would have helped with the cost of cremation. If I do have to pay it back then it would be nice to have it. She won't be able to pay it back ever as her handle of rum a day habit will preclude her from ever having a dime in her pocket! Even with all the obstacles I am running into I have made time to start getting these things in order for my GF and my daughter so there will be none of these issues to deal with when I go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitman Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Sorry to hear this Tbimm. I hope things get easier soon bro, so you can move on.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuke'em ttg Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Hey Tom, Dad got a SS & Military check after he died and Mom had to give that money back..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pope Flick Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Sorry to hear that. In a related story, when my grandfather passed my dad had all types of problems with hospitals charging for procedures that Grandpa didn't receive or my dad - who had PoA - didn't agree to. There are scammers everywhere at a time like this. Be careful, but seeing as how you've already run into it with the roomie you know how it goes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbimm Posted January 12, 2009 Author Share Posted January 12, 2009 Things sometimes have a way of working themselves out! I decided not to wait until tomorrow. Went to the bank this morning and handed in all of Dads info. Check cards, checks and the death certificate. I got a print out of the account and what do you know? SS already reclaimed the money they payed out after his death! The room mate did nothing more than overdraft herself by almost $400.00. She was trying to take more but once SS took the money back there was nothing left to take out! This is a hugh relief to me as I have written assurance that I will not be on the hook for anything! Now it is just time to turn off all the utilities and close this chapter of my life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big John Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 Things sometimes have a way of working themselves out!I decided not to wait until tomorrow. Went to the bank this morning and handed in all of Dads info. Check cards, checks and the death certificate. I got a print out of the account and what do you know? SS already reclaimed the money they payed out after his death! The room mate did nothing more than overdraft herself by almost $400.00. She was trying to take more but once SS took the money back there was nothing left to take out! This is a hugh relief to me as I have written assurance that I will not be on the hook for anything! Now it is just time to turn off all the utilities and close this chapter of my life. And SS will try to recall excess direct-deposit payments upon notification of one's death. That was one less hurdle for me too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chargerz Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 Whew! 6 for 6 on this!!! +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeeR Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 Things sometimes have a way of working themselves out!I decided not to wait until tomorrow. Went to the bank this morning and handed in all of Dads info. Check cards, checks and the death certificate. I got a print out of the account and what do you know? SS already reclaimed the money they payed out after his death! The room mate did nothing more than overdraft herself by almost $400.00. She was trying to take more but once SS took the money back there was nothing left to take out! This is a hugh relief to me as I have written assurance that I will not be on the hook for anything! Now it is just time to turn off all the utilities and close this chapter of my life. Sorry for your loss but glad something is working out on this. As if the loss isn't enough, "admin" stuff like this can drive you nuts. And don't even get me started on the POS hospitals ie how they overcharge, charge for things not done etc etc etc. PS to dmarc, excellent recap. I think gov't should make these things federal law just like paying taxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbimm Posted June 19, 2009 Author Share Posted June 19, 2009 Things sometimes have a way of working themselves out!I decided not to wait until tomorrow. Went to the bank this morning and handed in all of Dads info. Check cards, checks and the death certificate. I got a print out of the account and what do you know? SS already reclaimed the money they payed out after his death! The room mate did nothing more than overdraft herself by almost $400.00. She was trying to take more but once SS took the money back there was nothing left to take out! This is a hugh relief to me as I have written assurance that I will not be on the hook for anything! Now it is just time to turn off all the utilities and close this chapter of my life. Boy I don't even know what to think....... I got a call this morning that kind of took me by surprise. My Dads old roommate is on her death bed with cancer. From what my aunt says the doctors expect her to go within the next day or so. She had many problems and I have many reservations about what all went down surrounding my fathers death. Both before and after. Nobody knew she had cancer including her. She went into the hospital tues morning with extreme fatigue and loss of appetite. Before they could even get the test results back she slipped into a coma. Other than feeling pretty crappy I don't think she ever knew what hit her. My initial thought was uncomfortable for me. Karma! I was able to close the chapter when the bank took care of everything. I guess now the final chapter has come to an end. RIP Annie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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