But it seemed to me that what happened to him was less about caution than confusion bordering on ineptitude.
Colleen Haggerty, a spokeswoman for BofA in Los Angeles, said, "The circumstances certainly don't reflect the bank's priorities around convenience and access for our customers. The bank is really committed to meeting our customers' needs with respect and professionalism."
Linda Sherry has seen it before. The director of national priorities for Washington-based Consumer Action, Sherry said she was amazed that anything ever got done in some large corporations. "It's a mystery sometimes," she said.
Her advice for adult children dealing with their parents' financial affairs:
* Be persistent. Keep a log of each employee you talk to, ask their full name, note when you called and what was said. Keep calling until the problem is straightened out. Ask to speak with the bank manager if you run into trouble.
* Hire a lawyer. That would have been our next step. Many lawyers will agree to a flat fee to look over your documents or draft a letter to the bank.
* If necessary, complain. The Comptroller of the Currency, part of the U.S. Treasury Department, charters and regulates all national banks. Information about filing a complaint is on its website, www.occ.treas.gov/customer.htm. You can also try the Federal Trade Commission, www.ftc.gov, and Consumer Action, www.consumer-action.org.
Postscript: Ten days after Bank of America unlocked his second IRA, Jack died quietly with his family and caretaker at his side in the Carson home where he'd said many times he wanted to live out his days.
