Ask Amy: Cultural divide leads to family estrangement
With the pandemic, appointments at the bank are difficult to get.
I opened an account with my son as the POD a few years ago and he did not need to be there. He provided his Social Security number later.
When the bank manager finished the account, I said my friend would stop by with her SS number.
The bank would not allow that.
I called my friend and she was reluctant to provide it over the phone.
She said she would come to the bank, so I waited, holding up other customers. My friend then went to the wrong bank.
I left, really hurt!
I’ve never once borrowed money from her. I feel like our friendship is not genuine now and feel crushed. Your thoughts?
— Crushed
Dear Crushed: Naming a beneficiary to an account (a POD, or “payable on death”), is one way to leave money to someone, essentially bypassing complicated estate issues that can arise after your death.
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