Why I lost my shit to Chase today

So Mom died a week and some change ago. She had two accounts with Chase (among many others). Many of these accounts refuse to give you any information unless you have a death certificate. In Oregon it takes about 2 weeks to get one. We got ours in 8 working days. 

I called most accounts the day or two after mom passed and notified them. Got the paperwork in motion, sent in the mail, while I waited for other things to move. Well, Chase, unlike EVERY OTHER ORGANIZATION I SPOKE WITH (and I spoke with 15+ of them) REQUIRED me to go into an ACTUAL BANK to speak to someone about mom's account. Well, I thought, there's no point talking to them until I have the Death Cert, so I waited until I had one. 

I was dreading going into a bank. I don't even remember the last time I did it. It was probably before the economic collapse. Anyway, today, after talking to the priest about mom's service and having a not so relaxing spa experience, I went in when I had a free hour before a dinner, thinking that I can at least get things started.

What ensued was that I waited to talk to a banker. Then when I told the banker what I was there for, he was not necessarily trained in all the death stuff. I had all the paperwork. We're dealing with both a trust and probate. I had statements and information about her accounts. I had information. I wanted to know my options. I wanted to know what could be done with the account.

What I got was a conversation with a middleman. Since my situation was complicated, and my dude (it wasn't his fault the company he works for has this situation) could not tell me anything about what to do himself. He had to call the legal department to find out the answer to every single question. After about an hour of this, and several calls, because every answer he gave me (telephoned from the legal team because I could not directly talk to them on the phone) caused me to ask an additional question, I was frustrated, but understood the fucked up system I had to deal with. I was about to walk out to report back to my brother and decide what we wanted to do.

Last item, I wanted to deposit a check that came to my mom into the account. It was for $207. 

Well, he said, after calling legal for like the 4th or 5th time, they couldn't do that now, because she was deceased. 

And I exploded. I'm not sure if I went full Angelino or New York Asshole, but I had it.

I was done with their fucking rules and bureaucracy.

I was trying to do the RIGHT THING - being deposit a check written out to my mom, BEFORE SHE DIED, into her account. 

But no.

They can't do that.

Instead, I have to request the check be written out to her estate.

And deposited into an estate account. (That doesn't exist yet, because I don't know big he estate is going to be filed as. And there's a snag in that, because they won't tell me how much is in her account, despite me being her daughter and beneficiary - to know at what size we have to file at for her estate.)

And guess who gets to do that legwork. 

And call the company to ask them to reissue the check?

Moi.

All because their bank can't take on the risk of the $207 check. READ THAT AGAIN. A $207 risk.

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME? 

And guess which fucking ivory tower legal team can only be talked to from a telephone puppet banker in a brick and mortar archaic bank?

I was so livid, I couldn't even think who I knew at JP Morgan to complain to. 

I know, they are NEVER GOING TO HAVE MY BUSINESS. And they shouldn't have your's either.

Really Chase, you should be ashamed of yourself.

Comments

[Twan Twanster]

I got rid of all my Chase bank accounts last May. Can't stand them and their ridiculous, never-ending fees. Moved my accounts to a credit union and have been happy, or as happy as one can be with a banking institution. So sorry that you have had to deal with this crap at Chase Bank, especially when your still grieving the loss of you mother. My condolences, Heather.