Christmas

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Side Issues -- Part Two

We are freezing here today!! A bit of snow fell on Tuesday, and the temps are so low, it never melted! Everything is icing up, and there have been tons of traffic accidents. Needless to say, I’ve stayed indoors all week. I could slip on the black ice, and the cold could make me shiver. So, I’m staying put in the nice warm house!

Another little gem happened to me in the beginning of December. It actually began in early October, when I got calls from my health insurance saying my address had changed, and I needed to call Social Security. I called them, spoke to a lovely woman, who told me that the address change was probably the result of someone keying in a wrong number. Everything would be fine once she changed it back. Wrong! In December, my SS check was never deposited. Calls to the SSA left me frustrated, so we decided to go into the office which is close by. After an hour, we were taken, only to be told that I had been hacked! We had to wait to speak to someone else. Once we were taken to that person, she explained that some evil troll had gotten my number and changed the address. Then, they had the check sent to San Diego and NYC. She was able to remove all the bad information, reset my account, lock it, and reissue the funds. It took us six-and-a-half hours, but all was well. It’s scary, though, to think I could be hacked like that.

The next item was with the same agency. My mother’s final check was deposited, all her bills were being paid, and we were ready to close the account. Then the bank told us that SS withdrew the check. Whaaaat? Calls again were futile – we just kept getting a recording. So, my husband drove over to the office to make an appointment – he had to again take a number, wait an hour, and then be called to the window. When he explained why he wanted the appointment, he was told that one must be alive for the entire month in order to receive a check! My mother died on November 28th, with two days left in the month. So, she would not receive that final check. Now, WE are responsible to the bank to repay it.

As I said, these are just little annoyances that when added up cause me such frustration.  It’s such a bother to be involved with this type of bureaucracy!

Peace,
Muff


8 comments:

  1. And yet Social security withholds the first month check after you are eligible. I thought that this was so that very thing of having to pay back the last month would be avoided??

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    1. Is anything ever logical when dealing with the government agencies?

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  2. Hi Muff - you are "singing to the choir" on this bureaucratic nightmare stuff - glad you got it resolved even though 'they' took your Mom's final check - that is SO awful!! I so understand the injustice and the hassle. You guys are troopers! Stay warm

    Love Gail
    peace.....

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    1. I'm sure you went through similar issues, Gail. It's just so exhausting!

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  3. when my dad passed away I had to help my mom with everything, and it was so hard. I always felt like I was climbing a mountain when trying to settle everything and collect on his life insurance. it's was also a lot of work to get my dads name off of all the accounts, credit cards and utilities. I hope it's all behind you!!!

    and it's freezing here as well. I have not ventured past the back yard since sunday!!!!!

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    1. When my Dad died, everything seemed to go more smoothly. Maybe it was just that I was in better shape, and I could handle it better. It's supposed to get 'warm' next week -- in the 30's!!

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  4. I'm glad to see you back Muff. I haven't been keeping up with blogging lately, so I just found you today.

    I am so sorry to hear about your mom {hugs}.

    It's minus 24 here today and we have tons of snow. We had a green christmas and it was the mildest on record for a number of years,

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    1. I think everywhere in North America is cold. (Let's visit Judy!!!) I can't even THINK about temps like yours!! Stay warm, my friend!

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