(WSVN) - His wife handled their finances, and after she passed away, he didn’t notice money was being taken for his account every month, and it went on for years. Can he get that money back? It’s why he called Help Me Howard with Patrick Fraser.
Sadie and Joseph were married for 42 years.
Joseph Carella: “I only had the one wife. She was a nice woman.”
Then, as happens in life, Sadie’s health deteriorated. But she did have a contract with a company called Homeward Bound Services to help take care of her.
Joseph Carella: “They were supposed to come and help clean her up and give her a shower, but they never came. They never came once, not once.”
That’s because Sadie spent months in the hospital before passing away in 2006. Joseph was devastated.
Joseph Carella: “You know, after you lose your wife, you’re not in your right mind. It took me years to get adjusted. She used to do all the paperwork.”
Since Sadie always handled their finances, Joseph didn’t realize they had paid for care Sadie never received.
And he didn’t know that, before she died, she had signed Joseph up for a separate policy to care for him in case he ever got sick. He also didn’t notice the money for that policy was deducted from his bank account every month.
Joseph Carella: “The bank noticed it. They said, ‘Why are you paying this money?'”
The sharp Bank of America employee was helping Joseph with his checking account when he noticed the $260 a month taken from Joseph’s account. Joseph stopped it, but the damage was done. Over the past 13 years he had paid nearly $40,000 for something he was not aware of.
Joseph Carella: “I didn’t think it was that much, but I guess over the years, everything adds up.”
Joseph and his good friend Jack Dobbyn tried to get the money back.
Jack Dobbyn: “He got used. They took advantage of him. The older people get taken advantage of.”
Well, Howard, Joseph paid for two policies and is wondering if he can get the money back from both of them.
Howard Finkelstein: “It depends. If you are paying for a service you did not get, you can get back the money you paid over the last five years. But if you’re paying for something different, like an insurance policy, even if you didn’t know what it was for, you are not going to be able to get that money back.”
Homeward Bound, the company that was supposed to care for Sadie while she was sick, has gone out of business and is being sued in several states. Joseph will never get that money back.
After we did our research, we discovered the company currently taking $260 a month from Joseph’s account for the past 13 years is AF&L, an insurance company in Pennsylvania that Sadie signed up with to pay for care for Joseph in case he ever got sick like she did.
Howard Finkelstein: “What this couple did for each other was so sweet, but since it’s an insurance policy, Joseph cannot get any money back. And the lesson here is, make sure you and your spouse or partner know about all your financial assets and where they are, and if you parents are elderly, check where their money is going and make sure they tell you where their assets are so you can help them if they need it.”
Joseph canceled the policy he had paid for the last 13 years that would have provided money if he got sick. He might need it one day, but he can’t afford it today.
Joseph Carella: “I don’t have any money. I don’t have any money in the bank.”
Patrick Fraser: “While the insurance company that Joseph paid thousands for a policy he didn’t know about doesn’t have to return any money, they could. We contacted them, but they would not talk to us. As Howard said, if you have elderly friends or family, and they will let you, check to see what they are paying for and make sure they are aware of it and need it.
Paying and paying and your problem still making you sick? Want to ensure you get better? Contact us. We have a healthy attitude, and our policy is well-known: We do everything for free.
CONTACT HELP ME HOWARD:
Email: helpmehoward@wsvn.com
Reporter: Patrick Fraser at pfraser@wsvn.com
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Broward: 954-761-WSVN
On Twitter: @helpmehoward7
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