Lost bank account

[Anonymous]

My stepmother is convinced that my elderly father had a secret bank account that he now can’t remember. It could be true, and I imagine not necessarily a unique situation. What’s the best way to track down a financial account for someone who doesn’t do email?

[Anonymous]

Look at his old tax returns

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look at his old tax returns

And maybe his credit report? Also unclaimed funds in his state.

[Anonymous]

Have you searched for a paper trail? A file cabinet somewhere or a lockbox? My parents had boxes and boxes of bank statements etc. that I was able to go through and piece together a financial picture.

[Anonymous]

https://www.chexsystems.com/request-reports/consumer-disclosure

[Anonymous]

Bank statements, look for transfers from known accounts to unknown accounts. Also look for tax forms, particularly INT 1099 for the interest on the account (if it earned interest above whatever the threshold is to get one of these). Does your stepmother have any guesses about what bank it was at?

[Anonymous]

Bank statements or does she have his passwords? What he online savy enough to go paperless? Does she know what bank? Does she have his SS# and power of attorney? If she has POA she should be able to check with banks if desperate.

How old is she? Are they strapped for cash? I would figure out if this is worth your time. My mom sent me on a lot of rabbit holes as she was losing it, but keeping it together just enough to seem lucid.