Consumer complaint received 2025-02-05 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Deposits and withdrawals
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
I feel I have been seriously wronged by Bank of America and, in particular, by the VP Financial Center Manager at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXXXXXX XXXX  XXXX. Her actions were beyond reasonable, very inappropriate and vindictive to me personally. I have been a customer of Bank of America for 45 years and have had power of attorney on my mother-in-laws account or 10 years. 
Please see the narrative below for a sequence of recent events : Friday XX/XX/XXXX Bank of America XXXX XXXX, California a ) Withdrew a cashiers check in the amount of {$8500.00} from my money market account to purchase a tent trailer at XXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXX. ( Successfully completed ). 
b ) I requested a withdrawal in the amount of {$100000.00} in a cashiers check to me from my mother-in-law 's account. ( I am power of attorney and have been since XXXX. ) The goal was to deposit these funds in some other bank/credit union/CD with my brother-in-law to earn interest as it was not earning any interest at Bank of America. 
- I was then referred to the Branch Manager. She indicated she could not issue a cashiers check to me personally. When I asked her why, we then had somewhat of an interesting conversation wherein I was told yes, I could empty the account of all funds as power of attorney. When I asked her about cash withdrawals, she said she couldnt do {$100000.00} in one day for one customer. She indicated it was a bank limit not a branch limit. She then indicated she could have the {$100000.00} available after XXXX XXXX  on Friday, XX/XX/XXXX. When I asked her how much I could withdrawal daily she indicated the maximum was {$10000.00}. She also indicated this was a Bank of America limit and not a branch limit. 
Monday XX/XX/XXXX My brother-in-law and I started an account at the XXXX, California, Bank of America Branch on XXXX XXXX XXXX It was a joint account so we could deposit more money over time and both be able to pay XXXX bills and investments. 

Tuesday XX/XX/XXXX I went to the XXXX Bank of America XXXX and withdrew {$10000.00} from mother-in-law 's account and proceeded to deposit this money into the joint account opened the day before. Manager, would not allow it to be a transfer from her account to the one for brother-in-law and myself. ( Successfully completed the separate withdrawal and deposit procedures ). 

Wednesday XX/XX/XXXX a ) I went to the XXXX XXXX to withdrawal another {$10000.00} to put into the joint account established XX/XX/XXXX. The Branch manager indicated that no more withdrawals would be allowed on mother-in-law 's account as she as not comfortable with it and stated she had checked with her manager who told her she did not have to anything if she was uncomfortable with it. 
b ) Wednesday night my mother-in-law became seriously ill and somewhat non-responsive. 

Thursday XX/XX/XXXX mother-in-law ultimately passed away the morning of XX/XX/XXXX. 

Friday XX/XX/XXXX I knew my power of attorney had ended with the death so I stopped by the XXXX Bank of America XXXX to obtain paperwork needed for my brother-in-law to start the process to close the account and distribute the funds according to the trust/will left by my mother-in-law. We are all aware of the 40-day waiting period. Also thanked a very nice, gracious, and efficient employee ( Associate # XXXX ) for previously assisting me and we were thankful to have that {$10000.00} in a separate account so we could now pay to bury my mother-in-law. 

Tuesday XX/XX/XXXX a ) We had a family meeting at the funeral home. I attempted to use the debit card that was received for the new joint account with my brother-in-law to pay for funeral expenses. My card was declined/rejected. I called Bank of America Customer Service to find out why and then learned the account had been closed. I was only told that Bank of America had terminated and closed the account and that a joint check was being mailed out for {$11000.00} ( the entire balance ) for me and brother-in-law to cash. When pressed for more information I was told there was no additional information to give me and that it was a bank decision. 
b ) During the same conversation with Bank of America, feeling uncomfortable with the lack of information and the only negative rub I have had with the bank recently was with Branch Manager of the XXXX XXXX, I asked the phone representative to check on my personal accounts. He said another account has been closed and I would be receiving a check for {$7000.00}. Again, no reason why. No notice, no letters, no calls and no warning from the bank to me that I had now been cut off to access my own personal checking account. 
c ) After the funeral home visit where my brother-in-law had to pay the expenses out of his pocket, I stopped by the XXXX Branch of Bank of America to ask the Branch Manager, why she had these two accounts closed. She said she had nothing to do with the accounts being closed. She gave me the customer service number ( XXXX ) to call for information. I then called the Bank of America number given to me and they told me that the account closures were bank decisions within their rights and no further information was to be given. 

Wednesday XX/XX/XXXX I called Bank of America back at the customer service number to find out what was going to happen to the outstanding transactions on my personal account. She indicated the outstanding transactions were being honored and paid while they were reviewing the account. She stated the bank has until XX/XX/XXXX to complete their review and send out cashiers checks for the balance to me. Customer service still would not tell me why the account was closed. I told her that waiting another 6 weeks for my money was not acceptable. 
Update : Tuesday XX/XX/XXXX a ) I was unable to stop auto deposits of retirement income into my personal Bank of America checking account. They essentially will bounce back to the vendor ( s ), and I probably wont see any of that money until late XXXX or XXXX. 
b ) Today I received a call from XXXX at XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ). Bank of America had reported me to XXXX regarding a perceived fraud/abuse issue and XXXX was starting an investigation which could potentially involve a police report.. I let her know that mother-in-law had passed away on XX/XX/XXXX. After a XXXXminute conversation with XXXX where I relayed my issues/trauma/drama with Bank of America, XXXX indicated the issues/claim would be dropped by XXXX since XXXX had passed away. She gave me the number for XXXX XXXX XXXX and the XXXX XXXX XXXX as she felt the B of A actions were possibly out-of-line. 

XX/XX/XXXX To date I have received no communication from Bank of America as to : 1. The fact my accounts were closed 2. Why my accounts were closed 3. When any reimbursements would be sent out to XXXX XXXX or myself XX/XX/XXXX Received attached letters today from Bank of America Still no indication as to why the accounts were closed AND indicates this action may affect my ability to open an account with other financial institutions for up to five years!

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 monetary relief