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We found a notice from social security to my MIL stating that they have been holding her ssi check because they "no longer have a valid address. " for her. We are guessing this is because she closed her bank account at one bank and opened another but neglected to inform the dept of social security. My husband called SS and they told him that POA wasn't enough. They can not change anything unless MIL fills out and signs paper work. How the heck do people commit fraud? Lol. We are trying to get them signed up for medi- Cal. We assumed once we had POA we'd have smooth sailing. We are also having trouble with the mortgage company giving us info despite my husband faxing them the POA. Is this thing good for anything?

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The real question is how do they manage to go on being so bloomin' obstructive when there must be tens of thousands of families having to go through this? Sigh.

I suppose your husband will just have to fill out the social security forms and sign them per pro your MIL (how ridiculous!) - or they will have to explain how persons who are completely incapacitated are required to comply.

With the financial company; the law may be different in the US/California, but I know that my mother's banks would not accept copies of POA documents, they had to be certified originals. It was a complete faff and a pain in the neck. Is your MIL able to participate at all?
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The SSA won't deal with a POA. I understand why, since the POA can be a problematical thing at times. There are really only two ways to handle this. One is you could get your mother to go to the SS office with you and fill out the paperwork. The other would be to set her up an online account and make the changes there. The second is much easier! They used to have a place you could submit a change of address. I guess they still do. However, I don't know if you can change the account number there. You can check and see. I imagine that is what is most needed.
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My Dad had closed out all his accounts at one bank and opened new accounts at another. Thus, his pension and his social security were in limbo until I opened on-line accounts and made the bank changes. It was pretty simple, but I think now it has become more complicated with Social Security.

Also automatic payments to utility companies went into limbo, too, with the closed bank accounts. Oh dear. I had to set up new on-line accounts to make the changes. There were some late fees because of all this.

Lesson learned, see what is automatically being dumped into an account on a monthly basis and what is automatically being pulled from the account on a monthly basis. Thus, before closing bank accounts wait two months until the payments are automatically going into or being taken out the new bank account.

I had Power of Attorney for my Dad, he was able to come with me to close out accounts and open up new ones. The new bank made a copy of my Power of Attorney.
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State laws vary on what is required for a POA. So if it is an old POA or an out of state POA it may not work. If it is a POA that only becomes effective when the person is incapacitated, proof of incapacity from a Neurologist or Psychiatrist must also be provided. If it is a simple POA form from the office supply store and not one prepared and notarized by an attorney, many places will simply reject it. On the other hand a court order (Guardianship) is universally effective. Been there. Done that.
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The nursing home is working on getting her deemed incapable of her own care this next week. We are afraid to take her out to the bank because she becomes combative and will most likely throw a fit when we try to return her to care facility. Her husband has already been deemed incompetent but physically. My husband works full time and they are 3 hours away. He's going out there tomorrow.( I'll be out of town at a convention. ) I'll send him with my iPad to see if they can fix this online together from the nursing home. He will have to do it all for her but I think he will feel more comfortable setting up accounts if she's present. My poor husband- I've never heard him swear in the 37 years we've been together but he's so stressed over the mess they've left he's started- lol.
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You need a Guardian petition. As a notary, I would not seal a document knowing the NH is already seeking incompetency status.
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I just went through this with my Mom

Get the form from Social Security to apply to have whoever designated. Get her doctors to fill it out..explaining why she has to get someone else designated.....then take it to social security..fill out all their additional forms.

Then...that will satisfy Social Security.

Yeah..pain in the...... all I wanted to do was talk with them on behalf of Mom...but, Mom cannot understand what was asked ...and they didn't understand anything mom tried to say. So, this was their process
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