Yet ANOTHER Post About Bank of America

 

Hopefully this will be the LAST post I will write about BoA.  If you are reading this you must be tired of it and I know that I am tired of dealing with it.  If you have no idea what I am talking about, you should go back and search for posts that mention BoA to understand why I am so upset and frustrated.  (I have good reason)

I was told on 8/9 at 8:04 that I would hear back from a representative within 24 hours. (This was all done via Twitter/X messaging because that seems to be the ONLY way you can get a response from BoA)  Most of 8/10 went by with nothing.  I blogged with #bankofamerica.  NOTHING.  Then I decided to message the person who said I would hear within 24 hours at 7:04 pm...lettering "peggy" know that there was one hour left in the promised 24 hour turn around.

Amazingly at 7:44 I get a call from "peggy" who connected me with someone in their center who supposedly could help me.  (Forgive me...I've forgotten this woman's name...but she had a very calming voice which didn't work at all on me.)

As it turns out the 7-10 business days was "reset" (my words, not hers) when I uploaded the additional information they needed on 8/2 and NOT when I met face to face with Mr. Robinson on 7/24.  Because Mr. Robinson (who is a really nice guy) didn't have me fill out a Letter of Instruction (Bank Form)-1752 and I filled it out online on8/2 that is when the 7-10 business days started (again.)  According to BoA, I am still in the 7-10 business days.  (Which would actually end next Wednesday).

Then in reviewing the Letter of Instruction, the woman on the phone says the account number that I want the money transferred to isn't coming up. (So clearly NO ONE has reviewed this in the 6 days that the information has been sitting in their "review.) Turns out I made a mistake (and I own up to this) and left out a digit. (Hey it's only 13 digits).  So she sends me the form to fill out again.

While I'm doing this, I mentioned that the money was going from my dad's account to MY account at which point she says that as a representative of the estate I CAN'T transfer the money into my personal account. (Even though I am the executrix AND the beneficiary.)  Okay, WHY doesn't it say that on the form?  Maybe I should have known this?  WHY would I have known this?  I have no eerie banking psychic powers.  Is this common knowledge?  How many people would actually know this?   If I had submitted as it was without her finding out that it was my personal account would after an additional 10 days it get kicked back and I would have to start over?  Who knows?  It certainly sounds like something that BoA would do.

It looked like my only other option would be to have BoA send me a check made out to my dad's estate.  I have no banking account currently set up in the estate's name and I am certainly NOT going to set one up at BoA.  So what do I do with this check when it gets to me?  (Whenever that may be.  While I was told that the clock would NOT reset after yesterday's conversation, they MAY need another 5 business days to review which means the check would not mail out until the day I move my son into college!)

The good news is that there IS a financial institution that I DO trust.  The Gress Lodge Group, part of RBC Wealth Management is where both of my parents had assets.  They had a long time relationship with my parents and on my mother's advice, I have a small (and I mean really small) account set up with them.  Even though I have never met any of the team face to face (and I'm not sure if my parents did either), there is/was a relationship there.  When my mom died, they reached out to my dad and me.  I was able to easily work WITH them to establish that I was the executrix of my mom's estate.  An estate account was set up and one of the team members ordered checks for me so that IF I needed money to pay bills I would have the ability to do so.  IF I needed to pay bills!  They were actually THINKING about what I might need to do.  They didn't just give empty platitudes; they ACTED and tried to make my life better.  (This shouldn't be so amazing, but after all the BS I've been through it is.)

They knew that my dad was not doing well.  I had provided them with the Power of Attorney document as he declined and they immediately included me on all their correspondence to him.  When my dad died, although they did need documentation (because everyone does), again an estate account was quickly set up AND checks were sent to me to use if I needed them.  I didn't think I would, but...

So here's my plan.  The BoA representative assured me that they have all the information they need to complete their review and send a check to the estate. (Do I believe this?)  I'm thinking/hoping that I might actually have that check in my hands by August 29th.  August 29th just happens to be the date that The Gress Lodge Group has set up some time to talk to me about my account and investments. (This is not the first conversation we've had and they reached out to me!)  I can then send the check to them and either have those funds invested OR write checks to pay bills or to pay myself.  (After all the money IS mine.)  

What I will do with the funds from my father's estate, I'm not sure.  However, I am sure that they will NOT be going into a BoA account.  I AM sure that I will be clearing out my accounts at BoA.  And I will spread the news (as I've been doing for way too long) about the horrors of dealing with BoA.  Because when it comes to BoA this:

Is A LIE!

One Final Note (which has nothing to do with BoA):  I filled out extensive paperwork for Putnam Investments (needed help to do that), went to the bank to get a signature guarantee for them and mailed them off on Monday afternoon.  On Wednesday I received a call from them.  They needed additional paperwork (short certificate from surrogate court, my brother's death certificate AND a letter from me saying that I am my father's only surviving child). This will be mailed out today.  While this was/is a pain in the you know what, at least Putnam called!  This confirmed that they received what I send and were actually working on the claim.  As for Venerable; I still haven't heard anything from them so...