Tracing bank accounts of someone who has Alzheimer’s

[Qwenzo]

My mum has always been a very private person (I didn’t know her year of birth until I was quite old 🤣) so has never discussed any financial matters with anyone.

She now has Alzheimer’s and I have Power of Attorney. I keep on finding occasional bank statements in her house as I’m sorting it but I suspect there’s many other accounts.

Is there any way of tracing these accounts? Short of writing to every single bank and building society? A tracing service maybe?

Thanks in advance!

[quote ListeningQuietly]**@Qwenzo
I don’t know why I’m so clueless about this - I’m putting it down to the stress!
Because you are in an awful situation that is all consuming.
Feel no shame for asking for help or feeling out of your depth.

If you hit dead ends, keep coming back as we'll keep finding ideas
I'm a tax accountant so its business not personal for me

Hang on in there [/quote]
@ListeningQuietly that is one of the nicest comments I've read in here is ages.

@Qwenzo stick with it. One step at a time and you'll get it sorted in the end. Good luck.

www.mylostaccount.org.uk

This is a free service and you can also trace if she has any premium bonds etc.

Second the My Lost Account service, it's exactly what it's for. No need to contact every bank in existence or employ specialist tracing services. Probably also need to think about life insurance policy type things too. Private pension?

For the paperwork, I'd just box or bag it up for now. Do you have another trusted relative/older DC who could do some initial sifting?

Maybe go through it all, bin all envelopes, leaflets and anything else that's obviously irrelevant and sort the rest by organisation - once you have a range of statements from Natwest for example, you can probably bin a lot of the older ones.

You could also try logging into HMRC in her name as I think it will include details of any bank that's reported any interest that she's received to them.

First of all, you should be allowed time off for compassionate purposes. Speak to your employer and ask for a day off, then plan all your phone calls etc for that day.
Second, arrange an appointment at your mums main bank. Tell them that you're going through her financial paperwork and need their help. They should be able to do some searching for your mum. Just make sure you take your POA and passport also proof of address just in case.
Get a couole of friends to help you with her paperwork. Many hands make light work! Also, they won't be as emotionally invested in it as you are.

Barbara
You could also try logging into HMRC in her name as I think it will include details of any bank that's reported any interest that she's received to them.
Where does that show?
Just that banks no longer deduct tax from interest

Soontobe60 - thank you. Her bank couldn’t help me beyond sorting out POA for her accounts. The post office where she has an account for pension were spectacularly unhelpful.

There are no other relatives. I’m an only child and the last person other than my mum in my family. I can’t ask friends as I do t want anyone else in the house as it’s such a state.

There’s no HMRC account either. I’ve done my lost account and already had a couple of ‘not found’ replies. 👍

And she barely lets me touch her things, there’s no chance of someone else doing it! 🤣

It's really difficult isn't it when a parent is not managing. My dm has deteriorated rapidly and needs support, but won't hear of it. She moved house recently so fortunately we managed to "recycle" lots of her stuff and as she downsized she thinks it's all being stored at our houses. However, she does no online banking, has a chest of drawers full of bills etc, seems to be spending like there's no tomorrow but goodness knows on what! I hope you get sorted out eventually x

Qwenzo
Main thing for now will be to intercept ALL her post and see what you can find out.
Might also be worth talking to her MP to point out the useless of the bank (it can work wonders having an MP on board)