social security office joke

[cookiedough]

I switched all but my moms social security check from her longtime bank to a more local bank closert to me.  The stupid website does not allow me to create an account for her even though all information is correct so I call into them requesting a 'special' call back at 11:15 a.m. today waiting until NOON for the call coming from the local social security office.  Even though I have been active POA for 12 years they do not care about POA and need my mom present which am unable to do since all asst. living homes do not allow visitors for the past 2 months now.  So,  I call in again demanding a logical answer/solution and they are braindead from the feet up just saying my mom can only do a bank transfer not me her son who has all the information they need to get it done over the phone.  Heck,  my mom has not written a check in over 6 years and does not even know how anymore.      They said only way to do it is take my mom to local social security office in person which cannot be done since they not open to public and mom unable to transfer anyways and locked up unable to see her in person to let her talk to social security office directly of which doubt she would know how to answer many questions anyways altheizmers and all.

sometimes I think the entire fricking govt. system is useless and braindead.   

Just pisses me off something so simple is so hard to do with the federal govt. B.S... 

[Valker]

I switched all but my moms social security check from her longtime bank to a more local bank closert to me.  The stupid website does not allow me to create an account for her even though all information is correct so I call into them requesting a 'special' call back at 11:15 a.m. today waiting until NOON for the call coming from the local social security office.  Even though I have been active POA for 12 years they do not care about POA and need my mom present which am unable to do since all asst. living homes do not allow visitors for the past 2 months now.  So,  I call in again demanding a logical answer/solution and they are braindead from the feet up just saying my mom can only do a bank transfer not me her son who has all the information they need to get it done over the phone.  Heck,  my mom has not written a check in over 6 years and does not even know how anymore.      They said only way to do it is take my mom to local social security office in person which cannot be done since they not open to public and mom unable to transfer anyways and locked up unable to see her in person to let her talk to social security office directly of which doubt she would know how to answer many questions anyways altheizmers and all.

sometimes I think the entire fricking govt. system is useless and braindead.   

Just pisses me off something so simple is so hard to do with the federal govt. B.S... 

Get a power of attorney ASAP.

[..]

I switched all but my moms social security check from her longtime bank to a more local bank closert to me.  The stupid website does not allow me to create an account for her even though all information is correct so I call into them requesting a 'special' call back at 11:15 a.m. today waiting until NOON for the call coming from the local social security office.  Even though I have been active POA for 12 years they do not care about POA and need my mom present which am unable to do since all asst. living homes do not allow visitors for the past 2 months now.  So,  I call in again demanding a logical answer/solution and they are braindead from the feet up just saying my mom can only do a bank transfer not me her son who has all the information they need to get it done over the phone.  Heck,  my mom has not written a check in over 6 years and does not even know how anymore.      They said only way to do it is take my mom to local social security office in person which cannot be done since they not open to public and mom unable to transfer anyways and locked up unable to see her in person to let her talk to social security office directly of which doubt she would know how to answer many questions anyways altheizmers and all.

sometimes I think the entire fricking govt. system is useless and braindead.   

Just pisses me off something so simple is so hard to do with the federal govt. B.S... 

Get a power of attorney ASAP.

He has for 12 years.

[..]

I switched all but my moms social security check from her longtime bank to a more local bank closert to me.  The stupid website does not allow me to create an account for her even though all information is correct so I call into them requesting a 'special' call back at 11:15 a.m. today waiting until NOON for the call coming from the local social security office.  Even though I have been active POA for 12 years they do not care about POA and need my mom present which am unable to do since all asst. living homes do not allow visitors for the past 2 months now.  So,  I call in again demanding a logical answer/solution and they are braindead from the feet up just saying my mom can only do a bank transfer not me her son who has all the information they need to get it done over the phone.  Heck,  my mom has not written a check in over 6 years and does not even know how anymore.      They said only way to do it is take my mom to local social security office in person which cannot be done since they not open to public and mom unable to transfer anyways and locked up unable to see her in person to let her talk to social security office directly of which doubt she would know how to answer many questions anyways altheizmers and all.

sometimes I think the entire fricking govt. system is useless and braindead.   

Just pisses me off something so simple is so hard to do with the federal govt. B.S... 

Govt here to help

[scooperhsd]

Plain old POA won't do it. Need something "Special" for the SS office. My suggestion would be to leave it for now, just transfer her SS funds to a more convienent account for now, leaving a minimal balance where the SS check gets deposited to. Talk to  a lawyer about the "Special SSA" POA and get mom to sign it when you can see her.

[Jess from VA]

His post says he's had a POA (power of attorney) for 12 years.

Regular powers of attorney (for general purposes) and special powers of attorney (for very specific and limited functions) are quite different, and many government and banking and real estate issues require (only) special powers of attorney to act upon, by law.

You could try to assemble a paper package to mail them (certified) with all the necessary documents (or true notarized copies) with a cover letter explaining the situation and her extreme disability and tell them what you need from them.  This would be harder to shitcan than a phone call.  But it might still be a lot of work for nothing too.

Or you could call your local congressmen and make an official complaint and ask for help.... sometimes these kind of complaints can get solved with a congressman in your corner. (tell them you voted for him, even if you didn't)

Or you could find an old lady to impersonate your mom and take her to the SS office to try to get it done.  This is likely a crime (for both of you), so do it well or don't do it.  

[cookiedough]

I switched all but my moms social security check from her longtime bank to a more local bank closert to me.  The stupid website does not allow me to create an account for her even though all information is correct so I call into them requesting a 'special' call back at 11:15 a.m. today waiting until NOON for the call coming from the local social security office.  Even though I have been active POA for 12 years they do not care about POA and need my mom present which am unable to do since all asst. living homes do not allow visitors for the past 2 months now.  So,  I call in again demanding a logical answer/solution and they are braindead from the feet up just saying my mom can only do a bank transfer not me her son who has all the information they need to get it done over the phone.  Heck,  my mom has not written a check in over 6 years and does not even know how anymore.      They said only way to do it is take my mom to local social security office in person which cannot be done since they not open to public and mom unable to transfer anyways and locked up unable to see her in person to let her talk to social security office directly of which doubt she would know how to answer many questions anyways altheizmers and all.

sometimes I think the entire fricking govt. system is useless and braindead.  

Just pisses me off something so simple is so hard to do with the federal govt. B.S...  

Get a power of attorney ASAP.

POA is not recognized for social security administration in terms of anything that involves moms check being direct deposited.   Have active POA since 2008 and the SS adm. does not care about POA.    What they want me to do is do their stupid forms which require regular re-visiting a few times am sure per year becoming her 'representative payee'  which means her checks go into my name which I do not want to do.  It involves a stupid form me telling them for say 6 months to 1 year on what I spend her money sitting in her bank account on in terms of bills, etc. which IMO is NONE of their business.  they also want to know how much is in my moms checking account, etc. and monitor it like the police.  I say that is illegal and NOT right either NO ONE including the govt. needs to know my families finances or business.    Their theory is they want to protect the people receiving social security checks from relatives, etc. who are using it for their own means not the social security recipient needs.    I can see their point but one look at her funds and what I spend it on the past 12 years is very frugal one time shot should be enough and be done with it.  Is a bunch of crapola.   

I was willing on the phone today to go thru easily the past 1 year of records of her checking account informing them of monthly balance going up/down and what I spent it on which is the main thing so why not go with that over the phone scheduling a 'personal' phone call which is what I thought was going to be done today had her checking accounts pulled up ready to go.  I guess I could if I wanted to have my wife talk on the phone with them attempt to be a 78 year old but doubt that would fly pretending to be my mom?   

[0leman]

Cookie I understand your frustration.  When I moved my Mom to our town, only 80 miles distance, I had a lot of problems with not only SS but also my Dad's pension folks.  Only took three months to get them all straighten out with her sitting beside me talking to these folks.   We don't have a SS office in our town, so to talk to someone in person is a hour and a half drive.  AND this  was before the Virus hit.

Thankfully we didn't have to change Banks.   

[shadowsoftime]

Federal gov does not recognize POA.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Thread title is bait & switch. I was ready for a good joke. 

[Wizzard]

Thread title is bait & switch. I was ready for a good joke. 

So was I 

[DirtyDan]

Social security treats me very well

Dan

[Valker]

Talk to a local judge. If they don't recognize a POA, they will recognize a judge's determination of incompetence due to dementia. Basically, she would be made a dependant of you.

[cookiedough]

Talk to a local judge. If they don't recognize a POA, they will recognize a judge's determination of incompetence due to dementia. Basically, she would be made a dependant of you.

I do know a judge who married us way back in 1993 I think he retired though recently?  I doubt any local hick judge from our small county will have any effect on the federal govt. social security office.  I called up social security adm. yesterday after 20 minutes on hold got thru to someone.  I wanted a supervisor ASAP  since the flunkies taking phone calls have no idea and sick of explaining it to them after 3 phone calls prior.  When she said no one here but me telling me sorry you are not your mom nothing I can do I lost it and got VERY vocal.  I sure hope the phone message was recorded do not care said a few choice words before she hung up on me.  

Maybe I can change my voice long enough to sound like a 77 soon to be 78 year old women?  That would get me into trouble with the federal govt. for sure.  NO joke,  am pissed off about this have all the info. they need easy enough to give to them and yet common sense is not there.  Mom can still answer yes/no questions somewhat but that is about it without me helping her.  I have been making financial decisions pretty much entirely since 2008 for her when dad died.  Gee, you think 12 years is long enough?

A simple changing back accounts should be easy to do right for soc. sec. checks? Yes,  I can write out a check for all but 1 cent into the other checking account local bank, but I should not have to.  That soc. sec. check will continue to go into that other account.   I guess wait until the asst. living home opens up later in June or so I hope and hand the phone to my mom on speaker phone to talk to them idiots in the soc. sec. office and go from there. She knows her name and say yes or no but that is about it.  Her favorite line for the past 5 years or so when asked questions is look at me and say 'what do you think' or 'what would you do'?    

Wish it was a joke but when anyone without any common sense including the federal govt. does not do what I say being something so simple wasting hours of my time,  it pisses me off big time.   My patience level has always  been very low to begin with.

I even tried as the call from the local soc. sec. office suggested I do is created a MY account for my mom and entered all the info. needed to get setup and after 3 failed attempts it booted me out for 24  hours timeframe.  Why I ask?  Goes to show you the federal govts. website is NOT accurate and flawed, nothign new there I feel the entire govt. is a joke everywhere.

[h13man]

My wife had been trying to get part "B" the past month. She called today to find out the status on it and after not getting the info from the other end and being hung up on, she called again and got another person who very politely helped her and also said the other response will be reported as it seems to be a recurring problem at SS division.

[MarkT]

Plain old POA won't do it. Need something "Special" for the SS office. My suggestion would be to leave it for now, just transfer her SS funds to a more convienent account for now, leaving a minimal balance where the SS check gets deposited to. Talk to  a lawyer about the "Special SSA" POA and get mom to sign it when you can see her.

Forge her signature.  When they are braindead, "pencil whipping" becomes appropriate.  JS.

[cookiedough]

My wife had been trying to get part "B" the past month. She called today to find out the status on it and after not getting the info from the other end and being hung up on, she called again and got another person who very politely helped her and also said the other response will be reported as it seems to be a recurring problem at SS division.

yah,  it is a crap shoot wherever you call into nowadays for help no matter what it is.  DISH TV issue,  Internet issue,  and now this social security issue all within a matter of months.  Each person calling back in and get different responses each time until I get one who can do something about it I guess? 

[cookiedough]

asst living for my mom with altzheimers pretty bad just lifted the ban on visitors so had off today and went over and visited her for a few hours had been over 3+ months since seen her last.  Unfortunately spent most of that 2 hours on the phone on hold with social security office until they picked up after 30 minutes on hold twice.  They asked my mom basic questions like what her name is, soc. sec. no, birthdate,  maiden name,  etc. all of which she had no clue except once she said Mary being her first name much to my surprise.  I had to write all answers to questions down and even then she had trouble spelling or reading names and numbers got most wrong.  When it came to old routing number of bank it was wrong apparently so had to call BMO Harris bank to find out why.  BMO bought out M&I bank 5 or so years ago and at that time and prior the routing number when did initial direct deposit was M&I's not BMO Harris bank one on the checks.  Luckily BMO harris had it and gave it to me so off once again 30 minutes on hold to speak to SS office.  Same darn questions taking 30 minutes or more with mom  until the guy finally gave in and let me handle it for my mom.  Finally, after several phone calls and dozens of hours wasted on the phone, got her check to go direct deposit in the new checking account at my local bank.  I was literally exhausted after those 2 hours had to take a quick 1  hour nap this afternoon for something that should have only taken 5 minutes to begin with. 

Why is it that when dealing with any govt. agency is worse than pulling out my own teeth tying it to a door knob and slamming the door.....    I am sorry,  if once Mom said to both persons at social security if she gives me her permission to speak on her behalf saying YES,  that should be it right?  How else would I know her soc sec. number, maiden name, birthdate, grandma and grandpa name,  etc. etc. and also routing and checking acct numbers unless I am some sort of spy or something?  I guess though he said there is a lot of fraud going on with people attempting to take away older people's social security checks.  If that is the case, then open up the darn soc. security offices so I can attempt to drag my mom into the offices to see for themselves she is not competent enough to understand basic questions.  I gave them my social security number as well and one would think they could pull me up same last name and verify I am her son, right? 

[Jersey mike]

asst living for my mom with altzheimers pretty bad just lifted the ban on visitors so had off today and went over and visited her for a few hours had been over 3+ months since seen her last.  Unfortunately spent most of that 2 hours on the phone on hold with social security office until they picked up after 30 minutes on hold twice.  They asked my mom basic questions like what her name is, soc. sec. no, birthdate,  maiden name,  etc. all of which she had no clue except once she said Mary being her first name much to my surprise.  I had to write all answers to questions down and even then she had trouble spelling or reading names and numbers got most wrong.  When it came to old routing number of bank it was wrong apparently so had to call BMO Harris bank to find out why.  BMO bought out M&I bank 5 or so years ago and at that time and prior the routing number when did initial direct deposit was M&I's not BMO Harris bank one on the checks.  Luckily BMO harris had it and gave it to me so off once again 30 minutes on hold to speak to SS office.  Same darn questions taking 30 minutes or more with mom  until the guy finally gave in and let me handle it for my mom.  Finally, after several phone calls and dozens of hours wasted on the phone, got her check to go direct deposit in the new checking account at my local bank.  I was literally exhausted after those 2 hours had to take a quick 1  hour nap this afternoon for something that should have only taken 5 minutes to begin with. 

Why is it that when dealing with any govt. agency is worse than pulling out my own teeth tying it to a door knob and slamming the door.....    I am sorry,  if once Mom said to both persons at social security if she gives me her permission to speak on her behalf saying YES,  that should be it right?  How else would I know her soc sec. number, maiden name, birthdate, grandma and grandpa name,  etc. etc. and also routing and checking acct numbers unless I am some sort of spy or something?  I guess though he said there is a lot of fraud going on with people attempting to take away older people's social security checks.  If that is the case, then open up the darn soc. security offices so I can attempt to drag my mom into the offices to see for themselves she is not competent enough to understand basic questions.  I gave them my social security number as well and one would think they could pull me up same last name and verify I am her son, right? 

Congrats on getting to see and visit with your mom for a while, it must have been nice.

Here in N.J. they just recently announced the visiting procedure. My wife has an appointment to go see her dad on Sunday. It’s a one person 30 minute visit, no contact, no outside food permitted to be brought in, each must wear a mask and it will be outside in a little garden area they have. I also believe it is supervised.

Sorry I can’t help with the other crap other than to say good luck.

[scooperhsd]

Even if you could have gotten your mother to go in to make the change - it takes 3 months for it to go into effect....

[cookiedough]

Even if you could have gotten your mother to go in to make the change - it takes 3 months for it to go into effect....

will see  how long a direct deposit from one checking account to another goes into effect.  The guy at the SS office over the phone did not say but guessing 2 months, not sure 3 months, will see?  All he said was to not close the other checking account until you know for sure her ss check goes at least 1 month into the new checking acct.

I did not like the guys remark though when it comes to asking me if I saw the ss office side on protecting the rights of the ss recipient in terms of identity theft.  I told him I understood but told him also the ss office should understand my 20-30 hours of hastle is also worth something as well over what should be a simple 10 minute fix tops.  He asked me also why I refused to be the recipient of her checks having to fill out a bunch of forms and on what I spend her money on monthly and go thru every 1-2x's per year reviews if I become the person's name on her checks.  I told him that the ss office has no right to invade our privacy of where we spend my mom's income on none of their damn business.  He never commented on that but the less the govt. knows about our business the better off we are.    All I said is her small pension and ss check is just half of what we spend on her asst. living bill each month so not like getting rich more like bankrupt in years to come.

[scooperhsd]

We have had our own fight with the SSA local office on changing the direct deposit account (hence my remarks on 3 months).

But I wholely agree what we spend MIL's money on is none of their business as long as it is spent on them. Which is EXACTLY what me and my wife spend MIL's money on. We haven't spent one thin dime of her money on ourselves - in fact, I've spent OUR money on the house as well. And I can see some more coming - replacement range in the next year or 2, replace the HVAC system sometime in the next 5 years , those kind of things.

[cookiedough]

while mom was still in her house 3-4 years ago we had to replace the garage roof was leaking in winter from snow damage all rotten out attached to the house side.   It was very spongy in that one area and not safe with very wet spots in winter leaking thru.  We gotta sell the house in the next few years for sure since in another 5-6 years or so appears the roof will need replacing and will not recoupe the cost of a new roof on selling the house.  You know it is time to replace shingles when 2 winters ago a few shingles from high winter winds blew a few shingles off.  Am guessing has been 22 years or so since the roof was done so is near time.  House valued at 82K or so and would be happy with 72-75K top end to be honest.  I had a company come in who buys houses as-is with or without personal belongings inside and they only offered 52K or so and told him if he offers 60K might be a taker on it but 50K not going to cut it.  The oversized 2 car garage is worth 15K alone since 1/2 is concrete walls going 1/2 way up attached to the house. 

agree on the SS office wanting to know where we spend moms money on none of their business which is what we would have to do 1-2 times per year filling out forms being audited like,  if I became her payee on her SS checks.  If her ss checks are going into a direct deposit checking account to pay for her meds, bills, asst. living home, etc.   what difference does it make and why should the SS office care since the money is going into HER OWN account all along,  not mine for past 10+ years or so ever since the SS office required direct deposit of their checks. 

I tried setting up a 'my social security' account online with all correct information but after a call into the ss office for like the 4th time they asked me if my mom and dad ever had a credit rating with credit cards and I said NO.  They paid 'cash' or 'check' all their lives and probably the only thing they financed was 17K back in 1970 to say 1984ish for the house and maybe a few years in the 70s and 80s on a 1976 and 1986 used caprice classic.    Thus,  unable to setup a 'my social security account' online for my mom with no recent credit history since 1984 or so and my mom has not worked since the 1970s.  Simple folk and all all their lives.  Always worried though when mom would flash in an envelope in her purse at Woodmans grocery store a few hundred bucks cash for groceries would be so easy to snatch that envelope out of her hand and run away easy enough neither my dad or mom would catch them no way.    She always kept 200-400 bucks cash in her purse at all times.  My grandparents also never believe in banks very old school way of thinking would not surprise me whomever bought their house in the early 1990s after grandpa passed a few grand were found in hidden in the walls since had to be renovated was in disrepair? 

[BudMan]

If something like this happens again, go to the local news outlets. Most have a "In your corner" kind of segment where they "fight for the little guy".
Most agencies are terrified of them.
"Never fight with someone that buys their ink by the barrel."