Home Equity Line of Bullshit
Tuesday, March 7th, 2023 12:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
snoozefestaudioThought I was just gonna pay my credit cards and have a nice March, but... there are still some financial snags to work through.
So, one of the most annoying features of Mom & Dad's finances, at the end, is that they not only had a mortgage loan, but a separate home equity line of credit (HELOC) which is really just a different kind of mortgage loan.
Both of these were taken out in the twenty-teens, and as far as Tim and I can tell from going through all their documents, 90% of that money went to Republican campaign funds, Catholic charity organizations, and Police and Firefighter organizations... most of which were scams.
We found tons of thank you letters from these organizations for their generous contributions, and they were always referred to as charter members, meaning... they gave these assholes a LOT of money!
And we also found the letter from their banker, telling Mom she had GREAT NEWS, that they qualified for these mortgage loans!
Loans they didn't need, and that neither of them were gonna live to pay off.
But it was mom who always handled the finances, so when she died, Dad wasn't even AWARE that there were two mortgage loans, because the statements are on identical letterhead.
--<>--
The regular mortgage was set up to auto-deduct, which wasn't a problem because Dad had his regular pension and social security checks coming in every month.
But the HELOC was never set up to auto-deduct, and it was up to Dad to mail them a check every month.
He first got into trouble with this back in 2019, and we had to go to the bank in person to straighten it out. He'd double paid the regular mortgage, but missed the HELOC payment! It was ridiculous.
And that's when I took over his finances. I wrote all the checks, to make sure everything was correct, and then had him sign them.
--<>--
Fast forward to last November, and the Great Good 'N' Fun Crisis!.. that month he'd blown all his money on dog kabobs and I was thinking I had to put him on an allowance, to stop it from happening again.
But we missed the HELOC payment in the confusion.
Then, as soon as December started, he broke his hip, which lead to more confusion, and we missed it again!
--<>--
When Sheila and Mike came in late December to help us out, they paid the HELOC, and Sheila told me, don't worry about it, she would pay the HELOC for the coming few months until everything had settled down.
She and Mike both told me, repeatedly, that they had set up the HELOC to auto-deduct out of Sheila's bank account. And further, Mike would be keeping an eye on things the next couple months, to make sure none of the payments for anything were missed.
He even set up Dad's bank with Zelle, and said they'd zelle money into his account if necessary!
How nice of them!
Such Angels!
Well... that was when it looked like Dad was gonna live! They made those promises, thinking Dad would get back on his feet and live a few more years... and continue to get that pension and social security money.
--<>--
January came, and Dad died.
Tim and I were busy the rest of the month and through February trying to tie up all the loose ends, but one thing I was NOT worried about, was that home equity loan! Sheila had promised to be taking care of it until things settled down!
Well... NOPE! Turns out, it's two months late again! Sheila doesn't know what happened. She was like, my finances are complicated right now too! But she didn't want me to call Mike about it, because... you know, he's got problems of his own too!
Oh... I see how it is!
--<>--
So now I've discovered that the HELOC is once again, two months late!
I logged into my PNC account today to see my balance, and it's only $420.00.
Not enough to make the March payments on my three credit cards, and also take care of this HELOC issue.
So... I mobile deposited the last of the life insurance money this morning. But it won't be available until tomorrow.
--<>--
I wrote months ago that Dad's death would bring everybody together to brainstorm and figure things out... and that there would be a period of good will, where I'd be able to count on the siblings for help but... that it would fade with time.
And now we're there.
Dad's been gone exactly seven weeks. Everybody's back to their normal lives. The deed is in my name. The bills are my problem now. And I need to deal with them myself.
--<>--
I get it! But I am still irked about... with his failing health in the final years, I had to quit one job, blow my life savings, and then barely managed to get established at the new job.
And then he only left a lousy 10 grand of life insurance, and stuck me with his dog!
Sure, I got the house, but... even that almost didn't happen!
He and Mom were both playing it pretty fast and loose at the end. I think they both assumed he would die first. And if he did, she'd have gotten a ton more life insurance money.
I also think she planned to sell the house after he died, and to go live in a retirement condo or something. Because at the time it looked like nobody was ever gonna move back here.
Instead, she died first... and he had absolutely no plan for the future.
So, here we are.
But the one thing I do NOT regret, was refusing to pay any more on his maxed out credit cards last June. That was $500.00 a month I needed to survive on, and in the end, he died before they even started sending collection letters.
We terminated the land line before they even started the harassing phone calls.
And now... there's nothing they can do! That was all unsecured debt.
--<>--
I still have a couple rabbits left to pull from the hat.
March 15th will be my 6 months with Geostaff, so I'll get the other half of my sign on bonus... $250.00.
And there's a $500.00 death benefit from his pension that I can finally collect, now that the deed documents are finalized, and I can show his estate was settled.
But that personal loan is gonna be key to my survival, and now it's looking like I need to get that money before April's bills come due.
I gotta find out today when spring break is, and what days I might have off, here in March.
------------{=0=}------------
12:20AM
Jeremy told me today there is a third pair of bathrooms I'm supposed to be doing on my shift. So I threw them in to the routine today.
My feet were really bothering me the first half of the shift. It wasn't unbearable, but... it was enough to worry me.
I started thinking, maybe I just can't do this job full time!
I was thinking that if I got that personal loan, maybe I could go back to part time and then focus really hard on the handyman business to make up the difference.
But then I realized... I kinda HAVE to be working full time to get that loan!
So I just paced myself... took things slower... gave my feet breaks between areas and tasks... took more advil.
After my lunch break they were doing better.
I did more today than yesterday, in the end. Total step count: sixteen thousand.
It's just gonna take time for my body to adjust.
But I gotta make it through this week and this month!
Found out we're not getting any days off during spring break.
If I wanna get that loan before April bills are due, I'm gonna have to schedule a day off.
So, after I take care of the HELOC BS, and the credit cards... and order my new shoes... I'll take a look at what the status is with my PTO.
--<>--
My arrival home tonight was different from last night. The dog and the cats were expecting me, this time!
Yvette was wide awake and really howling up a storm when I came through the door!
But I took her outside, and she peed and pooped, and both cats joined us in the back yard... at midnight.
I'd forgotten that last week, when I programmed the timers for the lamps in the different rooms... turning on and off randomly throughout the evening... I programmed all of them to go full on at 11:30PM, and stay on.
So... I think that was the cue for all of them, that I was on the way home!
That's how they picked up on the new schedule so quick!
--<>--
It's also a damn good thing I aimed a flood light out into the deep back yard last summer, because now me and the dog and cats are all out there at midnight, and I can actually see them!
Another example of something I did for crickets, that wound up being just a generally good idea.
--<>--
Yvette had had a bit of dog food left in her bowl when I left today, and she finished it off while I was gone. So after our midnight jaunt in the back yard I fed her another can, which she ate all of, and wanted more.
So I gave her a second can, and she only ate about half.
That other half will be what's still in the bowl when I leave tomorrow.
So, from this I can calculate she's gonna eat two cans a day.
And if she gets the fresh stuff when I come home at night, that's perfect!
She's been through a LOT!
So, hopefully now we can all settle into a new routine that's an enduring one!
--<>--
Nothing's been normal since November... and now, nothing will ever be like it was in November.
Seven weeks is enough time for my siblings to get back to what their lives were like in November... with some grief to cope with.
But I have to invent a whole new life, and make it work... by myself!
°¦}
https://soundcloud.com/snoozefestaudio
So, one of the most annoying features of Mom & Dad's finances, at the end, is that they not only had a mortgage loan, but a separate home equity line of credit (HELOC) which is really just a different kind of mortgage loan.
Both of these were taken out in the twenty-teens, and as far as Tim and I can tell from going through all their documents, 90% of that money went to Republican campaign funds, Catholic charity organizations, and Police and Firefighter organizations... most of which were scams.
We found tons of thank you letters from these organizations for their generous contributions, and they were always referred to as charter members, meaning... they gave these assholes a LOT of money!
And we also found the letter from their banker, telling Mom she had GREAT NEWS, that they qualified for these mortgage loans!
Loans they didn't need, and that neither of them were gonna live to pay off.
But it was mom who always handled the finances, so when she died, Dad wasn't even AWARE that there were two mortgage loans, because the statements are on identical letterhead.
The regular mortgage was set up to auto-deduct, which wasn't a problem because Dad had his regular pension and social security checks coming in every month.
But the HELOC was never set up to auto-deduct, and it was up to Dad to mail them a check every month.
He first got into trouble with this back in 2019, and we had to go to the bank in person to straighten it out. He'd double paid the regular mortgage, but missed the HELOC payment! It was ridiculous.
And that's when I took over his finances. I wrote all the checks, to make sure everything was correct, and then had him sign them.
Fast forward to last November, and the Great Good 'N' Fun Crisis!.. that month he'd blown all his money on dog kabobs and I was thinking I had to put him on an allowance, to stop it from happening again.
But we missed the HELOC payment in the confusion.
Then, as soon as December started, he broke his hip, which lead to more confusion, and we missed it again!
When Sheila and Mike came in late December to help us out, they paid the HELOC, and Sheila told me, don't worry about it, she would pay the HELOC for the coming few months until everything had settled down.
She and Mike both told me, repeatedly, that they had set up the HELOC to auto-deduct out of Sheila's bank account. And further, Mike would be keeping an eye on things the next couple months, to make sure none of the payments for anything were missed.
He even set up Dad's bank with Zelle, and said they'd zelle money into his account if necessary!
How nice of them!
Such Angels!
Well... that was when it looked like Dad was gonna live! They made those promises, thinking Dad would get back on his feet and live a few more years... and continue to get that pension and social security money.
January came, and Dad died.
Tim and I were busy the rest of the month and through February trying to tie up all the loose ends, but one thing I was NOT worried about, was that home equity loan! Sheila had promised to be taking care of it until things settled down!
Well... NOPE! Turns out, it's two months late again! Sheila doesn't know what happened. She was like, my finances are complicated right now too! But she didn't want me to call Mike about it, because... you know, he's got problems of his own too!
Oh... I see how it is!
So now I've discovered that the HELOC is once again, two months late!
I logged into my PNC account today to see my balance, and it's only $420.00.
Not enough to make the March payments on my three credit cards, and also take care of this HELOC issue.
So... I mobile deposited the last of the life insurance money this morning. But it won't be available until tomorrow.
I wrote months ago that Dad's death would bring everybody together to brainstorm and figure things out... and that there would be a period of good will, where I'd be able to count on the siblings for help but... that it would fade with time.
And now we're there.
Dad's been gone exactly seven weeks. Everybody's back to their normal lives. The deed is in my name. The bills are my problem now. And I need to deal with them myself.
I get it! But I am still irked about... with his failing health in the final years, I had to quit one job, blow my life savings, and then barely managed to get established at the new job.
And then he only left a lousy 10 grand of life insurance, and stuck me with his dog!
Sure, I got the house, but... even that almost didn't happen!
He and Mom were both playing it pretty fast and loose at the end. I think they both assumed he would die first. And if he did, she'd have gotten a ton more life insurance money.
I also think she planned to sell the house after he died, and to go live in a retirement condo or something. Because at the time it looked like nobody was ever gonna move back here.
Instead, she died first... and he had absolutely no plan for the future.
So, here we are.
But the one thing I do NOT regret, was refusing to pay any more on his maxed out credit cards last June. That was $500.00 a month I needed to survive on, and in the end, he died before they even started sending collection letters.
We terminated the land line before they even started the harassing phone calls.
And now... there's nothing they can do! That was all unsecured debt.
I still have a couple rabbits left to pull from the hat.
March 15th will be my 6 months with Geostaff, so I'll get the other half of my sign on bonus... $250.00.
And there's a $500.00 death benefit from his pension that I can finally collect, now that the deed documents are finalized, and I can show his estate was settled.
But that personal loan is gonna be key to my survival, and now it's looking like I need to get that money before April's bills come due.
I gotta find out today when spring break is, and what days I might have off, here in March.
Jeremy told me today there is a third pair of bathrooms I'm supposed to be doing on my shift. So I threw them in to the routine today.
My feet were really bothering me the first half of the shift. It wasn't unbearable, but... it was enough to worry me.
I started thinking, maybe I just can't do this job full time!
I was thinking that if I got that personal loan, maybe I could go back to part time and then focus really hard on the handyman business to make up the difference.
But then I realized... I kinda HAVE to be working full time to get that loan!
So I just paced myself... took things slower... gave my feet breaks between areas and tasks... took more advil.
After my lunch break they were doing better.
I did more today than yesterday, in the end. Total step count: sixteen thousand.
It's just gonna take time for my body to adjust.
But I gotta make it through this week and this month!
Found out we're not getting any days off during spring break.
If I wanna get that loan before April bills are due, I'm gonna have to schedule a day off.
So, after I take care of the HELOC BS, and the credit cards... and order my new shoes... I'll take a look at what the status is with my PTO.
My arrival home tonight was different from last night. The dog and the cats were expecting me, this time!
Yvette was wide awake and really howling up a storm when I came through the door!
But I took her outside, and she peed and pooped, and both cats joined us in the back yard... at midnight.
I'd forgotten that last week, when I programmed the timers for the lamps in the different rooms... turning on and off randomly throughout the evening... I programmed all of them to go full on at 11:30PM, and stay on.
So... I think that was the cue for all of them, that I was on the way home!
That's how they picked up on the new schedule so quick!
It's also a damn good thing I aimed a flood light out into the deep back yard last summer, because now me and the dog and cats are all out there at midnight, and I can actually see them!
Another example of something I did for crickets, that wound up being just a generally good idea.
Yvette had had a bit of dog food left in her bowl when I left today, and she finished it off while I was gone. So after our midnight jaunt in the back yard I fed her another can, which she ate all of, and wanted more.
So I gave her a second can, and she only ate about half.
That other half will be what's still in the bowl when I leave tomorrow.
So, from this I can calculate she's gonna eat two cans a day.
And if she gets the fresh stuff when I come home at night, that's perfect!
She's been through a LOT!
So, hopefully now we can all settle into a new routine that's an enduring one!
Nothing's been normal since November... and now, nothing will ever be like it was in November.
Seven weeks is enough time for my siblings to get back to what their lives were like in November... with some grief to cope with.
But I have to invent a whole new life, and make it work... by myself!
°¦}
