Virginia Beach woman struggles with bank to close dead relative's account

[The Straight Story]

Virginia Beach woman struggles with bank to close dead relative's account

A Virginia Beach woman has tried for months to get a bank to close her deceased mother's bank account - but all she's gotten is fines.
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The 88-year-old left behind a checking account with a little less than $40.

"And they said, 'Well, we can't close it - we need a death certificate.' So, I went home, got the death certificate, gave it to them," Smith explained.

But that wasn't enough. Smith was asked to bring the executor of the account to sign off on it.

"Came home, got my husband to take off work, he is the executor. They say, 'We still can't close the account'," Smith said.

Next she had to bring in her father-in-law's death certificate. He passed away 15 years ago.

In the meantime the first of two bank statements showed up.

"It's called a maintenance fee!"

A fee of $7 was deducted from the deceased's dwindling account because the account did not have a $100 minimum balance.

Finally, a bank representative gave Smith a letter, promising resolution within days.

Instead, another statement came in the mail.

http://www.wtkr.com/news/wtkr-bank-close-account-vb,0,5...