Thursday, December 8, 2011

Opening the Roth IRA shouldn't be this hard...

I took a plunge and began opening my actual Roth IRA at Vanguard the other day and it was filled with surprises...

Since they lowered their initial investment to $1,000.00 on some of their funds, I wanted to get it all sorted out before I dump the big amount in come January 1st...

The online application was easy, and I selected a target date account for the funds and everything was set.

I waited for the verification amounts to show up in my ING checking account, saw them the next day (and my $1,000 withdraw)  and called to verify everything and get my online access codes...

After we got my account verified and linked I got disconnected.

When i called them back, I got some upsetting news. They told me I wasn't able to get online access codes because they have my MAIDEN NAME ON A "PERSPECTIVE ACCOUNT" FILE from over a  YEAR AND A HALF AGO and that file has my SS Number in it (?!?!?!?!?!?) so apparently my new account has been flagged for fraud because they have 2 names with one SS Number...

The gal couldn't comprehend the fact that I didn't have an account with them and essentially told me that my $1,000 would be in limbo until I filled out a name change form and mailed a copy of my marriage certificate to them... (no, I couldn't fax or email them the form back either....)

Mind you this is all to change AN ACCOUNT I NEVER OPENED...

.......

I decided to call back after work.

After hitting Zero a bunch of times I got someone helpful. I asked him to explain to me their policy about keeping individuals social security information when they did not have an account with them... and that got his attention... and profuse apologies.

After again explaining how I had never opened an account, had got married in July and changed my name, and just wanted my online access codes without all this insane legwork FOR AN ACCOUNT I NEVER OPENED, he told me his department would remove the flag, delete the "perspective account" and told me I should get be able to get access codes by Friday without snail mailing them a dime.

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