Widows & Widowers Support Group
This community is dedicated to those who have lost a husband, wife, or partner. Anything is open for discussion here, with the hope that we can focus on grief, bereavement, life after loss, and continuing on after a great loss.
So I went into the bank to deposit my husband's commission check. He's been gone for 3 years now, but every now and then I get a small check. It's always the same thing--teller looks blankly at me before saying that since my name is not on the check I can't deposit it. This inspite of the fact that I have an account there, a death certificate and my drivers license.
I usually end up going to another branch and it's deposited without problems.
Today, however, was interesting. I was prepared for the usual--you-can't-deposit-it, but the teller decided to ask something so entirely stupid I had to comment. Here's how it went:
Me: My husband passed away and I have two checks to deposit that are in his name. I'm his wife, here's his death certificate, and my drivers license.
Teller: Does he have an account here?
Me, thinking I heard wrong: Yes, there's my account number on the deposit slip.
Teller: No. He has to have an account here in order to deposit this check.
Me: (looking at her as if her name was Bambi and she was a character out of Happy Days). I'm sorry, but he can't get an account here anymore because he is dead.
She looked at me, obviously mulling it over. I could practically see the wheels turning in her challenged brain. Looked like she was solving one of those complicated puzzles in a computer game. Finally, she said. "Oh. Well I'll deposit it in your account, but it may not clear."
Incredible. I blame the training and thankfully the fact that we widows aren't as prevalent as the divorcees.
I usually end up going to another branch and it's deposited without problems.
Today, however, was interesting. I was prepared for the usual--you-can't-deposit-it, but the teller decided to ask something so entirely stupid I had to comment. Here's how it went:
Me: My husband passed away and I have two checks to deposit that are in his name. I'm his wife, here's his death certificate, and my drivers license.
Teller: Does he have an account here?
Me, thinking I heard wrong: Yes, there's my account number on the deposit slip.
Teller: No. He has to have an account here in order to deposit this check.
Me: (looking at her as if her name was Bambi and she was a character out of Happy Days). I'm sorry, but he can't get an account here anymore because he is dead.
She looked at me, obviously mulling it over. I could practically see the wheels turning in her challenged brain. Looked like she was solving one of those complicated puzzles in a computer game. Finally, she said. "Oh. Well I'll deposit it in your account, but it may not clear."
Incredible. I blame the training and thankfully the fact that we widows aren't as prevalent as the divorcees.
It is tiresome to explain and educate them about my humal life circumstances, besides their dimwitted puzzlement makes me feel as sorts abnormal anomaly.
On the other hand, it made me realize that I need to prevent this from happening to my son, so I got busy organizing my financial and legal papers.
My advisor did not recommend joint accounts, or giving full access to my business now, instead he advised to make a provision on all accoints that allows a full access only upon my death. Also a copy of that document can be deposited with the bank, so it won't be need to search for it when the time comes to deal with that.
Also when I went to bank to try to cash in bonds that were not in my name, they threatened to close my account since my husband was dead. I told don't you dare close it and left before they could figure out who I was.
I also forged a check after he passed away....
Can you set down with the head honcho of this bank....tell them these commissin checks may still be coming and its very not cool to be treated this way...I think they need to be educated..unfortuntely
I always wondered where the money came from in so-called "unclaimed accounts" that the state gets. Now I know. It's widows like us.
I get a small dividend check that comes in Cliff's name. I deposit it by mail. Nobody says a word. Also, the ATM doesn't ask questions either.
The banks made it as hard as possible, and the insurance companies were just as bad. We may have come a long way baby, but it sure isn't far enough!
Love and Hugs,
Martha
The bank refused to let me deposit checks made out to my husband, even though his name was on the account, just because they knew he was dead. I'm glad I found this Post. I typed in "bank" in the Search bar...
It is his money, and it is his account, so what is the big deal? Well, yeah, he's not here anymore but I don't see why the check can't go into the account.
By reading everyone's experiences here, it seems it can go any which way, depending on the teller or manager.
So difficult. I will go to another branch but I wonder if the bank manager typed a note into our electronic file saying: Beware of lady trying to deposit forged checks into a dead person's account." I'd be embarrassed if she found out I was trying to go around her by trying to deposit these checks in another branch...I can walk to her bank branch so want to keep on good terms with her!
Today I drove across town and put one of the checks in the ATM.
I'll deposit the other check on a different day so no one will notice that the signatures are not identical...