Consumer complaint received 2022-02-14
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: CT
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Other transaction problem

Complaint:
I don't know really how to begin. Please tell me there has to be a better way. 

My spouse died 3 years ago, an estate was established in his name. To my regret we did not have a will. 

Thru the help of attorneys and probate court the estate is established. Estate of XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX cant remember all the details, but this is what I do remember. It has been such a long and drawn out process. 

The estate is established, and after it is completed I get an email from the bank Wells Fargo, that states do you want to go paperless or hard copy. I ask initially for hard copy. I find a bank account with my husbands name on it. I have to go back to the attorney and go go back to probate and establish and amend a 706 form. 

I tried to go back to the bank to close the account, dropped it after I felt like I was meeting obstacles. It was emotionally exhausting. I proceed to pick it up again about a month ago. We have been customers of Wells Fargo for over 20 years. I have now been at the bank, visiting it weekly. Each time its is something else that I need to provide to prove that I am the wife of the deceased party. 

With each visit, the branch starts with conversations with the Estate department of Wells Fargo, and each time they want information that they have. They ask for his death certificate, and they had it. I submit the 706 form and they now tell it it is old and the fiduciary status is expired. I explain to them that if this was accepted a year ago this would of never been an issue. And i am upset, because not once was i told what I needed to assist to resolve the issue. i decided to bring in all and any legal paperwork that would prove that I am the wife of the deceased individual. 

We get no where. The branch manager, escalates the issue. I decide to call and speak to someone in the Estate department of Wells Fargo and they tell me to bring an updated fiduciary form into the bank. I do what they tell me and with each visit branch speaks to their estate department. With each visit the bank tells me that their Estate department is asking for another process. 

With one of the visits, the bank finally processes a check and I cant deposit. it The check is made out to the Estate of XXXX XXXX, and now the Estate is closed at the bank because it is in my name.

I return this past week and now am being told they can re open the Estate, but I need a tax id number. The bank manager asks me if I have one, and i never knew there was one on the account. They have to reopen the estate in order to put the check into the account. Who knows what steps I have to do next? The check is in my bag, and I cant do anything with it. The check is in the amount of XXXX dollars. 

My frustration is from multiple issues. I am the one who found the account after I asked for all hard copies be sent to me. When the Estate was being established, the search by the bank should of found this account in the first place. I still have my husbands name on my checking and savings account and have not removed it. I would think that the powers that be should be able to see that I am not a person trying " steal '' the money. I actually dont know what the bank is thinking.

I want the check deposited into my bank account without reopening the estate. I dont think this can happen, so I will be making another appointment with the bank, providing an EIN number. Oddly enough, the Estate legal department cant see that i have the death certificate, 706 forms, cremation bills, and continue to have his name on my checking/savings account, and they cant process or close the account or write the check out to me. 

There has to be a better way? A way that can ensure a smoother transition for an event such as this. This is has been a very difficult arduous process. I write this to hopefully helps someone else who is processing this situation. I have left the bank, each time, emotionally exhausted. All for processing a check for XXXX. 

The bank has every piece of paper in their hands to show that XXXX was my spouse. I never thought of providing my marriage certificate, perhaps they would need that as well, after all why would I own his death certificate.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation