My SO and I hold joint general, durable financial POA for my stepdad, who has dementia. We went through a lengthy process with stepdad's credit card company to get access to his statements. His credit card automatically pays certain bills, his Instacart groceries, and other incidental needs.
Earlier this week, his house lost power and there were numerous expenses (hotel, restaurant meals, etc.), all of which were declined on his credit card, so I had to pay them on mine. I live remote from him and he has paid caregivers, so I had to pay for a separate hotel room for the caregiver on my card as well.
When we called his credit card company, they refused to speak with us, stating that we do not have POA and they suspected that our inquiry was fraud.
It's been so difficult dealing with this credit card company from the beginning to now be left unable to talk with them at all. We couldn't even inquire about possible fraud being the reason the card is all of a sudden repeatedly being declined. We're now worried that someone fraudulently put in a POA that canceled ours or that there might actually be fraudulent charges on his account that triggered the card being declined. We can call a recorded line for the balance and we know that the card is not maxed out.
Are there credit card companies that are known to more cooperative once they've approved the POA forms?
The bank has to verify stepfather's incapacity for POA by his doctor’s verified medical situation to approve POAs’ access to his credit card accounts to avoid fraudulent suspicions. All arranged affair parties have to prove by all ID’s who they are they say the are by a site visit to his bank. Hopefully this credit card bank is a brick and mortar location.
then. It’s a legal matter if they don’t comply
Speak/make an appointment to the head and find out what they require and that it’s on the records
not sure where you are… Huntington National Bank has a caregiver banking product. There may be other banks with this product as well. You just need to research.
It’s annoying, but I have had the most success when I’ve communicated with the bank through online messaging or paper letters. That way I can attach the POA document each time as a reminder that I have authority over my parents' finances. That said, some banks don’t always accept POAs for credit cards, which can make things even more frustrating.
As far as banks go, I like that online banks often make it easier to submit POA documents and gain access. There isn’t the same fuss as with brick and mortar banks. But then it’s sometimes a mixed bag for customer service—if they understand your issues or reply properly.
Brick and mortar banks are a hassle, with the appointments and forms and notarizations. But I feel like there’s always someone you can have a stern but polite conversation with in person.
In the past, I’ve shifted expenses from one credit card to another—simply because one bank was more cooperative. If your stepdad can get another credit card with a different bank, that might be an easier option for future expenses. I’ve also found that banking at the same institution as my parents helps a lot—because some banks make it easier to link POA-authorized accounts within the same online profile.
Hope that helps—the other posts have good advice too. Good luck!
This whole hotel expenses thing must have triggered something.
You now need to learn/find out how to present to them your POA papers. Hopefully they are good and are drawn up by an attorney. Credit card companies and banks are very very picky about everything being perfect.
So it is time to call and find out how to make a personal appointment to present your POA papers. You will ask for a supervisor. Go from there about getting an appointment.
I would also go to bogleheads.org and their Forums for better financial clues and advise on how to do this than you may get here. I have seen a whole lot of questions with few good answers and regards to credit cards and elders and even deceased elders. I had no problems with my brother's card at all; I did have to mail them my POA papers. AND I did have to sign on as "responsible party" to pay the cards. That is to say, had he run up a mess of bills I was on the line for them. And his bills were mailed to me as his POA.
Getting everything all set up as regards bills and such is a nightmare. For about a year I spent half my life on the phone five years ago. Once it was running smoothly it was running smoothly but from SS to IRS to Credit to Banks to Bills it was one Hades of a nightmare for a year. I wish you the very best of luck.
Check your PoA doc to see if you have the authority to get him approved for a new card. The easiest will be a Visa through his own bank. Even my 104-yr old Aunt was approved for a Visa through her bank when all the others rejected her.
If you are able to do this, the just keep a minimum amount of money in his checking account to cover his bills. This helps mitigate losses if he is the vicim of fraud or abuse, or his own bad decisions. Hopefully he has a savings account too, where the bulk of his cash can reside, rather than his checking.
Let us know how it goes -- we all learn a lot when OPs return to give an update.