Widow: Bank insists on talking to my dead husband
Written byGeorge Warren
SONORA, CA - A widow who is losing her home to foreclosure said she's willing and able to make her house payments, but the bank insists on dealing with her dead husband.
Jeanette Noble, 66, fell several months behind in her payments following the death of her husband, Norman, in Oct. 2009, because their joint bank account was temporarily frozen.
Jeanette later contacted Wachovia Mortgage to arrange a repayment plan, but the bank refused to talk to her because the loan was in her husband's name alone.
s losing her home to foreclosure said she's willing and able to make her house payments, but the bank insists on dealing with her dead husband.Jeanette Noble, 66, fell several months behind in her payments following the death of her husband, Norman, in Oct. 2009, because their joint bank account was temporarily frozeJeanette later contacted Wachovia Mortgage to arrange a repayment plan, but the bank refused to talk to her because the loan was in her husband's name alone.
SONORA, CA - A widow who is losing her home to foreclosure said she's willing and able to make her house payments, but the bank insists on dealing with her dead husband.
Jeanette Noble, 66, fell several months behind in her payments following the death of her husband, Norman, in Oct. 2009, because their joint bank account was temporarily frozen.
Jeanette later contacted Wachovia Mortgage to arrange a repayment plan, but the bank refused to talk to her because the loan was in her husband's name alone.
"I tell them he expired. He's dead. He's not here. He can't talk to you," Jeanette explained.
She faxed a copy of Norman's death certificate, which only complicated the problem. Future mail was addressed to "Estate of Norman Noble," and bank representatives still refused to talk to Jeanette because she wasn't a court-appointed representative of Norman's estate.
Jeanette said an attorney told her probate would cost $1,000 and could take several months. The home was scheduled for a courthouse auction this week, but for unknown reasons the auction was postponed until May 5.
Jeanette said it was Wachovia's idea in the first place to put the loan solely in her husband's name because it streamlined the process when the couple refinanced their home in 2008.
A Wachovia statement from February indicates the past due balance on the account is just over $2,000.
Jeanette said with her husband's VA benefits and her Social Security, she can easily make the current payments and would be willing to have the past due payments and penalties tacked onto the back of the loan.
"I would think they would want to get their money. She's more than willing to pay," said Sheila Murphy, a longtime friend.
A spokesman for Wells Fargo, which acquired Wachovia, said he's researching Jeanette's case and would have a response on Monday.
by George Warren, GWarren@news10.net
News10/KXTV