When a South Florida woman suddenly lost her husband, she found herself having to navigate finances all alone. When she couldn’t collect thousands of dollars he’d left behind, she turned to Help Me Howard with Brandon Beyer.
Carmen Pierce: “I planted all the podocarpus trees. They’ve grown now.”
Walking with Carmen Pierce through her garden is a good way to relax.
Carmen Pierce: “And then my little array of hibiscus’. They’re climbing hibiscus’, I love them.”
Relaxing is tough for Carmen these days. She lost her husband of nearly 40 years back in 2022.
Carmen Pierce: “It’s very scary.”
She was a single mom when they met back in the early 80s.
Carmen Pierce: “We met at the Hollywood Mall. He was driving his Porsche, I was walking in my high heels to my car. He revved up right beside me and flashed his smile.”
They picked a charming home and built a life together.
Carmen Pierce: “We paid $57,000 for this home years ago.”
William paid the bills, Carmen took care of the family.
Carmen Pierce: “It always worked fine.”
Brandon Beyer: “Until he was gone?”
Carmen Pierce: “Until he was gone.”
She still remembers the day she lost him.
Carmen Pierce: “I was in the kitchen making dinner and I heard him gasp, and I looked in the living room and he was on the ground. I called 911, but he was gone.”
It was sudden and she found herself in trouble just as fast.
Carmen Pierce: “Financially, it’s been horrible. It costs money to die. I was in over my head from the very beginning when my husband passed.”
Things got bad enough that Carmen started pawning her belongings.
Brandon Beyer: “What were you pawning?”
Carmen Pierce: “My jewelry.”
William managed money his own way.
Carmen Pierce: “He didn’t trust banks, so he would keep money in bank boxes.”
One of those boxes had more than $8,000 in it. The bank wrote a check for it, but made it out to her late husband.
And despite a court order, she can’t get it cashed.
Carmen Pierce: “They wrote the check to him and he’s passed. So, I’ve not been able to cash it, deposit it. I’ve tried.”
Howard, it’s $8,400 she desperately needs. How can she get it?
Howard Finkelstein: “Carmen did exactly the right thing. She filed with the court for summary administration, which is easier and faster than probate, and the court issued an order for the bank to give her the money. It’s a matter of talking to the right person at the bank. And if they won’t do it, the court will force them to.”
We reached out to Carmen’s bank, and they told us they were on it.
And two days later, they came through.
Carmen Pierce: “Immediately, the corporate office was calling me and looking to resolve it, and it got resolved it.”
Four years after losing her husband, finally some relief.
Carmen Pierce: “I got to pay some bills that I owed. I put a little money in my bank account. It meant a lot to me.”
Now her peaceful garden is a place she can relax once again.
Carmen Pierce: “It’s amazing what reaching out to Help Me Howard did for me.”
Howard says there’s an easy way to avoid this. Ask your bank to add a “payable on death beneficiary.” It’s quick, it’s easy and that person inherits the money in case of your death.
Got a problem? Need a hand? Here’s how to find us below. It’s Help Me Howard. I’m Brandon Beyer, 7News.
CONTACT HELP ME HOWARD
Email: helpmehoward@wsvn.com
Reporter: Brandon Beyer at bbeyer@wsvn.com
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