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What do you do about their cell phone bills, internet, hearing aids etc? I had all these bills set to auto pay out of there checking account that I am the POD.


Not to mention the cell phone contract, and hearing aid contract. They are paying $400 a month for just the hearing aids!


Some of their stuff has to go through probate, I already have death certificates, etc. I have been locked out of some of her accounts as I was POA.

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You guys where correct about the EIN. They told me that any account that does not have a beneficiary needs to go into probate and that i close all her accounts and open up a estate account with that EIN to pay her last bills.

I'm guessing on accounts that had a POD listed i can just cash them out and close them?
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My Probate form says anything that already had a beneficiary does NOT go through probate.

I have not heard of a EIN.
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JoAnn29 May 2021
Employee ID#. You do need to get some kind of tax number for probate. I had to get an L9.
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You need to have the bank stop the auto pay. Or, close the account, and transfer the acct to another one. Maybe set it up as an estate acct. If you are Executor, you need to get a short certificate from Probate giving you the ability to handle their bills and finances. You then contact each debtor and first stop the services. They will probably require the death certificate and short certificate. Their contracts were with the deceased and they are gone. Tell them the outstanding bills will be paid once you know where the estate stands.
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Isthisrealyreal May 2021
No. It is Payable on death and that means it belongs to her not the estate.

Just notifying the bank that she is dead will freeze the account and stop all withdrawals.

I just went through this same situation with my dad and his POD account.
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You call each entity and cancel accounts. As you handle them, and their billing, I am assuming you are POA. Some may request a death certificate. They almost all will just take your word, as with land line for my bro, it was easy--return equipment to company. Bills were cancelled. But it is up to the POA/executor to cancel everything and notify everybody. Bank can supply you with the addressed for any they are automatically paying, and you can notify experian and the other two credit agencies of the death with copy of death certificate also. Telling them by mail to issue no credit in this name. You can easily cancel credit cards, esp if they know you are POA. As you mention these bills and what they are paying you will have contact info for them. If you are ALSO the executor as well as the POA this will be easier for you. A lawyer will get you EIN online in minutes and draw you up a certification that you are executor. Otherwise a lot of this becomes the problem of whomever IS the executor. I called my bro's credit card the very day he died; they cancelled at once and were very appreciative. I called also any entity that did automatic withdrawal, but most of these were involved with his care, such as his ALF, and they already knew and had stopped withdrawals. The bank will have a death certificate as well and can prevent automatic withdrawals; account can be frozen until estate EIN is provided; executor can then handle cancellation of withdrawals that are automatic. Good luck. Speak with the bank where you already have a relationship. If you are executor speak with a lawyer. I needed only one and one half hour time with a lawyer in case of settling my brother's death and Trust work as his successor Trustee and executor.
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MJ1929 May 2021
You can also get an EIN on your own and save the attorney's fee.
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I am so sorry for your loss. May God give you strength and wisdom and grieving mercies during this difficult time.

Notify the bank that she has passed and they will freeze the account.

My dad had auto pay and everything stopped when the bank froze the account.
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I have tried to cancel my mother’s cell phone bill. I have POA.

She is still alive, but in Memory Care.

I didn’t have any success, because they wanted to speak to her. Not happening.

I finally went to her bank’s website, and disputed the charges. The bank, so far, has cut off the cellphone company.
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NeedHelpWithMom May 2021
Oh gosh, it was always a new nightmare when people wanted to speak to my mom. She couldn’t hear on the phone.

If they wrote a letter to her, she said that the print was too small.

Parents truly get to a point where they are helpless due to so many issues in their lives. It’s incredibly sad.
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