Posts by feraljackal2

Nathan Morris3 said:So, a buddy of mine was venting to me today. He wants to move 20,000 United States Dollars from JPMorgan Chase to an account at another American bank, and the bank tells him: "Sure, but it'll cost you 100 United States Dollars ($250)." Yeah, you read that right. The bank wants 100 United States Dollars just for a computer transaction. My friend lives abroad, so he's used to that being free, and he was livid... after about 30 minutes, he calmed down and said, fine, I'm not giving them that out of spite, I'll just withdraw the cash and hand-deliver it to the other bank. Then he calls them back, and they tell him: "Oh, hey, if you want to withdraw more than 5,000 United States Dollars, you have to give us two days' notice by noon."
I don't even know who's crazier here—my friend, who thinks walking around town with all that cash is a good idea (maybe he'll get reported or robbed?), or the bank, charging that much for a digital transfer and making it such a headache just to access your own money. In the end, we'll have people in the 21st century counting bills at a teller window like it's a Western movie, hoping they don't get jumped. And the guy just wants his money: either pay 100 United States Dollars or stuff his pockets. It's gross.

Once cash disappears and everything is digital, we'll be totally at the mercy of bank fees. Actually, I guess we already are.
Anyway, is a 0.5% fee for a transaction within the US (in United States Dollars) actually normal?

Does anyone know an overseas bank where transferring funds between two different institutions in a foreign currency is actually free?

Drew Castillo5 said:Moving away from the main thread for a moment: relying solely on digital payments essentially hands over a complete roadmap of your life to third parties. To put it bluntly, if you have a habit of buying excessive amounts of junk food, that data exists, and an insurance provider could easily hike your premiums because they’ve flagged you as a high-risk liability. There are endless ways this kind of surveillance can be weaponized.
Furthermore, money sitting in a bank account isn't truly yours in the absolute sense; at any given moment, a central authority can decide which priorities take precedence regarding transaction processing. In my specific line of work, there are actually scenarios where I wouldn't mind that level of automation. I once had a client end up on medical leave with insufficient income, leaving me unable to collect payment because their basic survival needs took priority—which isn't my burden to bear, but an automated system would have settled the debt instantly.

That won't happen, even if it sounds like a fair trade-off—imagine if people with unhealthy habits, like smoking or drinking heavily, actually paid higher premiums while everyone else saw a discount. It wouldn't really be about monitoring every single transaction, though; it could work just like it does in other developed nations. Before they even give you a quote, the system analyzes your risk profile and adjusts your policy accordingly.

PS—even if this dealt a massive blow to the black market, it probably wouldn't wipe it out entirely... people will always find a way to barter or use different currencies. Americans are nothing if not resourceful when it comes to getting by.

wiredlynx28 said:$100k at Bank of America
JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo have about $500k combined.
Goldman Sachs holds $50k, but honestly, it’s not worth the hassle since they're circling the drain.
Keep in mind, Bank of America is basically turning into Chase, while JPMorgan Chase will likely shift over to Société Générale.
The only one staying put is Wells Fargo, which is backed by Intesa Sanpaolo—one of the heavy hitters in the US banking sector with massive capital reserves.

U.S. Bank? 😁

When you step back and look at it, Citigroup really is one of the better options—their entry-level staff is actually quite well-trained, though perhaps I just caught them on a good day.

You’ve probably spent more time debating this survey over on Reddit than it would actually take to just fill it out—right?

Is it really such a huge ordeal to lose a few minutes and just fill out that survey—even with all its silly questions? Is it truly easier to spend hours venting and taking it out on a forum, bragging about how much you can lash out at an innocent customer service rep who isn't even allowed to argue back? Then that employee goes home and vents to her husband—who then takes it out on his subordinate at work—and that colleague eventually snaps at a teller at Chase. We end up with this endless cycle of bitter, frustrated Americans making life in this country feel just a little more unbearable every day.

I don't personally believe the bank is going to close a client's account (though, let's face it, anything is possible), but there is a very real chance they'll just label us as idiots. Most idiots in this country won't even care—since they aren't planning on ever using major US banks or doing business with them anyway—because, for them, the real thrill is just being able to trash a service worker.

Amanda Lopez5 said:Greetings, everyone. I am reaching out because I could really use some guidance regarding a situation I've found myself in.
I recently received a formal notice of garnishment due to an outstanding balance for my municipal utility fees, which totals $23. According to the document, I have a strict 15-day window to settle this debt, and it specifies that the additional legal enforcement costs amount to $67. My question is quite specific: if I manage to pay off the primary debt in full within that designated timeframe, will I still be held liable for those extra $67 in fees?
Thank you very much for any insight you can provide.

Just pay the $23 as soon as possible—then give them a call to confirm you've settled it. If they've already sent it over to a collection agency, you should probably notify them too. Until they actually initiate the seizure process, they can't collect from you; once they do, you'll notice the funds missing from your checking or savings account.

Paul White9 said:And let’s talk about that "forced share" of yours... if the owner of a property leaves it to the neighbor's cat or hands it over to Catholic Charities in their will, then that's just how it is. It's his property, not yours. He could have blown the whole place up a minute before passing if he felt like it. Or he could have sold everything right before death and spent every cent on hookers. Why should you get a piece of it? I'm just being objective here...

It's impossible to design a perfect system—nothing ever is. I know of instances where angry parents left their estates to the local municipality, leaving the children with nothing but the legal minimum. But in those cases, the property wasn't worth nearly as much as this one—where the kids spent their entire lives investing in and living in the house. Plus, this whole estate was built by a grandfather who surely never imagined his son would leave it to the city instead of his own grandkids, right?

silverhawk9 said:Honestly, there is nothing more distasteful to me than people who just sit around waiting for their parents to pass away so they can move into the family estate with their spouse and kids.😵 Look, if you’re single, fine—maybe it makes sense. But once you’ve started a family and gotten married, then just hovering around waiting for your folks to kick the bucket so you can take over the house?🙄 It’s completely baffling to me, and frankly, it feels incredibly irresponsible. After all, parents have every right to sell everything and leave nothing behind; they aren't obligated to pass the torch to you. And don't even get me started on the absolute gutter behavior of dragging families through the courts, contesting wills, and fighting over assets. If I ever found myself in a position where I was suing my own kin over an inheritance, I’d be too embarrassed to show my face in public. If they wanted to leave you something, they would have. Personally, I’m an only child, but I don't spend my time dwelling on it or expecting a windfall. I’m focused on building my own life and acquiring my own things from scratch.

Beyond the moral issues being discussed, there’s another practical side to this that puzzles me. Let's say the average person has kids around age 30, and let's assume a life expectancy of about 75. That child—assuming they aren't one of many siblings—won't actually inherit that property until they're 45. And if the situation is different—say, my grandmother lived to be 95—they might not see that inheritance until they're 60.

That's a hell of a long time to be holding your breath, isn't it?

Nancy Howard4 said:I honestly feel like I owe my ancestor a massive thank you every single year because all he ever did was pour his earnings into buying up land that wasn't worth much at the time. Between 2000 and 2010, the value of that property just exploded from maybe $30 a square foot—since most of it eventually got rezoned for development—to an insane $350 per square foot. Of course, getting paid was always a huge headache since those construction companies would try to haggle you down constantly; they’d basically demand compensation because if you were selling, say, 10,000 square feet at $300 a pop, that's $3 million on the table, which is a massive sum they didn't actually have sitting in the bank. They figured they could just build some cheap apartment complex and try to sweeten the deal by throwing in some commercial space or a few condos, but you'd never actually see the actual cash
Once we finally subdivided the parcels, things got way smoother because the guy would just finish a building on the other side of town, grab his profit, and then circle back to pay me for the next phase of construction
Everything ran pretty smoothly until the whole "crash" hit

I’ve got an even better example from a coworker of mine who’s from out by the coast in Palm Springs; apparently, his old man was considered the "bad son" because he ended up with this worthless stretch of beachfront land where nothing would grow, while his uncle got the prime land 6.2 miles closer to the water that was perfect for farming, back when tourism wasn't even a real career path yet
So now, the "bad son" is living large off interest and rent from about 30 vacation rentals, while the "good son" is still out there breaking his back working in a vineyard
Sometimes, being the "bad" one really pays off😁

In my great-grandfather's case, it wasn't that he was a bad person—he was simply poor and lacked any land to work. It wasn't until the very end of his life that he managed to clear some rocky terrain and plant olive trees. For most of his life, though, he was a fisherman, so he built his house right on the water—literally designed so he could pull his boat inside to keep it protected. Today, the situation is entirely different; that house and the lot are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. It isn't for sale, though—family ties matter more than paperwork.

P.S. I think I get what the poll question is asking, but man, does it sound harsh? "I inherited this through great effort"—it makes it sound like you poisoned your own mother, father, or sister just to get the money.

John Clark6 said:Execution Costs

Article 157.

(1) All costs associated with the execution are the responsibility of the debtor. In cases where there are multiple debtors, they are held jointly and severally liable.

(2) Any expenses not explicitly outlined in the initial writ of execution shall be determined via a separate decision within eight days of being incurred.

(3) The minimum amount for execution costs is set at $67 and these are collected during the execution process itself.

(4) If the debtor settles the debt based on the writ of execution before the Financial Agency actually receives it, then—technically speaking—the debtor isn't required to pay the execution costs tied to that specific order.

That’s exactly what I keep telling everyone—they really need to pay up! 🙂 It's just that things at unnamed location tend to get recorded much later...$67...so you have to stay ahead of it.

Thanks!

I've already paid off the debt, and they haven't even tried to go after my wife yet. I didn't pay the $67 fees. Should I send proof of payment somewhere? Since I paid directly to the county account, I'm a bit worried they won't notify the Federal Reserve.

Hi there,

Could anyone suggest a decent portable POS printer that works seamlessly with both iOS and Android devices?

John Clark6 said:Oh, goodness, that’s not quite it... those are really just formal notices sent out if you don't settle up within the deadline... I'd suggest paying exactly how I mentioned earlier—and if you can, maybe just give the IRS a quick heads-up once it's done!

I stopped by the IRS office today—they told me I have to pay the debt plus $67 the fees listed on the account in the writ of execution. :/

rapidskipper12 said:Who even mentioned an appeal? READ THE WRIT OF EXECUTION. It lists exactly what you owe and tells you to pay up within x days, otherwise they’ll just have the Financial Agency freeze the money straight from your bank account...

The writ of execution has already been submitted to the Financial Agency.

I’m not actually being asked to pay anything—I simply received the decision at my home address, along with copies sent to the agency and the postal service, essentially ordering the Financial Agency to go ahead and garnish the funds from my account.

rapidskipper12 Asks:
Take a close look at that writ of execution from start to finish—really digest the details. What exactly is being demanded of the debtor, and what's the actual deadline for payment? There’s usually some fine print tucked away—something like, "the debtor is hereby called upon to pay within 8 days of receiving this notice"—but isn't it better to be absolutely certain?

I assume they'll go ahead with the collection once the writ of execution becomes final—right?

No, it says here that filing an appeal doesn't actually stay the enforcement of the writ of execution—and honestly, why would we even bother appealing? The tax really wasn't paid. It’s probably better if we just settle it before the Financial Agency gets involved—unless, of course, we want them to handle the payment for us? $67 Commissions—though from what I can see, none of that actually matters since the big players always grab their slice of the pie. I can't track down the old paperwork right now, but we did receive a document specifying a tax amount—something my wife intended to pay—only for it to be announced in the papers later that no payment was required because the calculation was wrong. It seems there was a clear oversight, so she didn't end up paying it. Then, out of nowhere—boom—a writ of execution. But hey, shit happens, right?

I noticed an article mentioning that someone was hit with a writ of execution totaling roughly $12,000—quite a heavy blow, wouldn't you say? It’s always interesting to see how these legal rulings play out in the end.

Hi everyone—my wife completely missed a vehicle tax payment. Back when she was living with her parents, they used to handle all the mail and take care of those bills, so she didn't even realize it was her responsibility. Everything was fine until last year when she got a notice saying she owed about $267. It wasn't a massive amount, but it slipped her mind again—until a few days ago when a writ of execution arrived. Now they're planning to pull the debt (around $333) plus $67 in legal fees directly from her account.

The money is sitting in her account right now, but nothing has been withdrawn yet. What happens if she just pays the original debt plus interest directly to the account listed on the writ of execution—without including the $67 fees? Would they still try to seize the funds anyway? Is there any way to save that extra $67?

At the end of the day, the bank is really just a middleman—nothing more, nothing less.

Laura Chavez93 said:Interesting enough—but I wonder what the IRS actually gains from this data when they likely already have access to most of it...
And anything they lack can simply be obtained from the police—specifically through their tax ID...
Americans... They simply have no clue... I find myself wondering—who exactly have they been granting citizenship to lately? 🤣
So, there is no official registry for political party members or politically exposed persons? That seems... problematic.
And the most fascinating part—if one can even call it that—is that this entire charade unfolds without any legitimate basis or provocation... people are being branded as money launderers or, heaven forbid, being a terrorist, simply because they hold an account at a bank like Chase. 🙂

You can be a taxpayer even without holding US citizenship—after all, an American citizen might earn income outside the States, and the laws apply to everyone equally. But even setting that aside, some of the questions in these forms feel completely nonsensical (most of them are, honestly). At the end of the day, when you arrive in the US and an official asks you who packed your suitcase, you don't tell them to mind their own business—you just comply to avoid making things difficult. The way this was set up feels totally backwards; if they were committed to using this questionnaire, they should have organized the data collection differently. As it stands, they're just inconveniencing both citizens and banks without actually getting the information they need.

Laura Chavez93 said:Who exactly are they reporting this data to? Someone mentioned recently that after filling out a survey at Chase, they were hit with the exact same request at Wells Fargo... which suggests that a centralized system—much like the one used for mortgage holders—doesn't exist.

Hold on... so if I walk into a branch to check on my savings account and tell them I have no intention of filling out a survey, they’ll just shut down my account?!? 🙂

Who is forcing them to do this—is it the branch manager? And what if I simply ask them to tell me what is required so we can settle it over the phone...
shouldn't she be able to explain what they need from me, rather than just repeating "you need to come into the branch" like a parrot? 🤮

The information goes to the IRS, which then passes parts of it along to federal agencies—depending on what you disclosed, like whether you're politically active and such. It likely flows through the FBI and various other departments too.

http://www.irs.gov/compliance/anti-money-laundering-aml

Quincy:

A solitary cat—is there anything more peaceful? It’s a quiet sort of companionship, really—just you and a little shadow drifting through the house. kaže: There’s just no legal basis for it—I’ve checked with a few experts on the matter, and honestly, isn't it true that you can't exactly force or badger people into filling out a questionnaire if they simply don't want to? Honestly, I’ve reached my limit—I am just done with their constant harassment, and frankly, I'm over it.

They aren't doing this because they want to pester clients or drive them toward competitors—it’s actually because they’re forced to collect those client questionnaires. By law, they can't technically provide services to anyone who hasn't completed one, which would mean closing accounts for everyone who skipped it—but they don't want to go that route. Instead, they just force some poor teller at a branch to call people at home, only to end up being insulted personally? It’s complete nonsense. First off, the questionnaire itself is useless—a total waste of resources—because someone actually involved in crime or terrorism isn't exactly going to tell the truth. And if they were truly committed to this ridiculous idea, why not make it a federal requirement? If they had integrated it into something like an IRS tax filing app, everyone would probably just fill it out without a second thought.

hiddenviper13 said:No biggie. This whole thing is basically just going to be one giant game of X's and O's.

Maybe I'll just set it up somewhere else entirely, like over in Canada or something. 😁

Broken links again. Honestly, the American Bankers Association is just... well, you know how it goes. Last one. Just a heads-up, there’s a website out there where folks can actually go to get the facts and stay in the loop. Useful stuff, really.

Terrorism. It’s one of those heavy, jagged words that just hangs in the air, isn't it? You see it in the news cycles, scrolling through headlines that feel like they're designed to make your stomach drop, and it’s easy to get lost in the sheer scale of it all. It feels massive, like an unstoppable tide. But when you really sit with it, it’s more complicated than just a headline. It’s about how it shifts everything—how it changes the way we look at a crowded subway station in Chicago or a busy plaza in New York. It’s that subtle, nagging sense of unease that creeps in, making you second-guess a simple walk down a city street. It’s less about the singular events and more about that slow erosion of feeling safe in your own skin. It’s a strange, uncomfortable thing to navigate. 🙂

None of this has anything to do with banks. Honestly, we should just kick them all to the curb and be done with it. 👍

If you were in Sweden, you’d likely need to show proof of rent payments—assuming you have a lease or own the place—before they even look at your "questionnaire."

I highly doubt anyone is actually scrutinizing my answers, but putting an "X" there would just flag me for extra review, wouldn't it? It makes it look like I'm hiding something. Since all my money was earned honestly, I have zero reason to lie. On the flip side, I don't want some agency using this app to call me back and harass me over those "X" marks. I wasted about thirty minutes on this—well, mostly I just annoyed my colleague because I jumped on this during work hours—but at least it's settled once and for all.