Occupying-ing

We're in the process of switching, from Big Bank (US Bank) to small bank (Anchor). The move was actually not politically instigated — it was because of other issues — but it correlates nicely with the Occupy Your Bank Account movement, and falls within the reasons.

I have a small trust, left to me by my mother, which I will not be able to access for some time. The trust was put in the control of US Bank, where it had been invested since my mother inherited it.

When it was first transferred, there were a number of issues, many of which I blamed on the law firm that handled my mother's will (and they were certainly far from blameless.) But, over the years, there have been any number of slip-ups by USB. i would not hear from them for ages — and then would call with a question, only to find that my trust manager had apparently disappeared into thin air. They would take me out to lunch, assuring me I was in the top 1% of their clientele, and then not return my calls. Then they would hold large meetings, where several men in suits would file through, only to have each of those men speak to Patrick and not to me. They would sell stock and securities without asking. My "private banking" status seemed to come with no recognizable perks. And then I found out that, for all of this, their fees were much higher than comparable management.

So I transferred the trust, and am closing the bank accounts. I did write my new trust advisor to let him know, before the transfer papers arrived, and heard absolutely nothing back. So apparently I am not so valuable to them as they expressed.

My new bank, on the other hand, experienced a hiccup late Friday night. My banker emailed me back about it, form her smart phone, while driving with her husband do Menomonie in a blizzard yesterday, to assure me it will be alright.

That's why I like small local businesses.

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(in an aside to that, I purchased several gifts in small local places tonight and feel rally good about them all!)

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