I am trying to get online banking access to my mom's credit accounts (mortgage and LOC) so I can make payments on them from an account I manage. The bank is in WA, my mom moved to WI, and I live in WV. Her move to WI was all very sudden as her husband passed away unexpectedly. I got the durable POA in WA but was not able to get all accounts squared away while I was there. Now the bank is saying the require me to come in person to the branch in WA to hand them the notarized POA and verify my identity. But this can't be the only time this has ever happened! I'm not spending $400 and 2 days to fly out to WA just to walk into a branch. I'm happy to mail them an original POA (I got several copies made) - aren't there other options for them to verify my identity remotely?
I imagine it would be possible as both banks operate under the same rules, so they could verify everything in person and transmit documents straight to the WA banks legal department.
Can't hurt to ask.
Best of luck, this type of thing is becoming rampant as fraud is being perpetrated in every imaginable way and institutions are scrambling to protect everyone involved, them and us.
Yes, this is going to be a problem.
I thought banks were the worst until I dealt with investment companies.
Banks are VERY very uptight about a POA and it must be done (in my experience) well, by an ATTORNEY, and completely. You must show up there. As my brother was in SoCAL and I was in NoCal, I was lucky that this was A) US BANK with branches in both B) That both my brother and I could attend at his bank there and I could arrange his accounts to be managed here in SF. There were Trusts and CDs involved here as well as his checking account, and he had banked there for years. And the amount was substantial, giving us a "Personal Banker" (who I will treasure forever for his personal help).
In short, getting a POA up and running is going to mean sending each entity what it wants, it will be a nightmare (I was managing Trust and CD so was POA and Trustee, making it worse) for one year or so. Once you get it all slotting in, all the mail is coming to you, and you are the signee it is done, and runs smoothly for the most part, though when Spectrum mistakenly removed his phone instead of the one next door in the deceased woman's room it took me from 1030 a.m. to 4:30 pm to fix it with many calls over seems like every state in the country and a few countries. It is said to be ever so much WORSE now (this was 2020) with outsourcing.
I truly wish you luck. I would never do this again. In fact I was online to be POA and Trustee should my partner die before me, and I got that changed right away when my brother died. I would not do this again. I am in my 80s now (was 78 then) and no way. No way.
I can't say I didn't learn a lot. Boy, was that a learning curve. But, like most things it was learning the hard way.
If you speak with a banking officer and there is no other way ask if a Licensed Fiduciary can help here.
There MUST be a way. But it won't be easy and it won't be without expense. As you may know you can sell a home long distance now without ever showing up, with signature verification and title companies and so on.
I really wish I had more hope for you here, and I hope you find a way. Do update us.