Banks That Refuse To Take Money For Mortgage Payments
by Bill Stephens, Metro News Photographer
Published 22 October 2018 @ 6:15 a.m. CT
Today, I woke up still reeling from the news yesterday that my last chance at assistance to save my home has vaporized. While growing up, we were always taught that if you do the right thing, good things will come.
You see, as most of you who knew me in July of 2013, while working my usual schedule balancing two jobs and still volunteering I had an unfortunate heart issue brought on by a number of factors, but mostly due to working outside in extreme heat [100+ degrees]; while carrying heavy camera equipment and hoofing it between multiple music stages to review and photograph performances.
Two ambulance rides and eight plus hours of surgery later, I found myself in ICU and cardiac care for six days. Then I was sent home with orders to do nothing until I was sent to cardiac rehab. This amounted to six months of suddenly stopping my hectic schedule. It put me in the position of locating and making sure my clients were taken care of.
Of course without working, I had to live on my savings. We were always taught that you should save at least six months of income; to be prepared for setbacks like this, losing a job, etc. Well, I’m here to tell you it isn’t enough. I ate through that six months of savings and then my camera fund [ I replace my equipment every five years or so] .
Here is the reason why. Just a few months after I was released to work, I was diagnosed with Bladder cancer. The big "C", but they said it was treatable and I easily recovered from. Right about that time my insurance policy was changed to comply with the “Affordable Care Act (Obama care”.)
As most of you know, when you are self-employed, you mostly have no choice but to deal with this. I had two surgeries for the bladder cancer in 2014 and the recovery after each surgery put me down for four-to-six weeks. I again was not working and had no income.
Bladder cancer seems to be the gift that keeps on giving, as in 2016 it reoccurred and I again had two more surgeries and then immunotherapy/chemo. I had another health check and more “chemo” that was scheduled the next month.
I can not describe how this affects you unless you live it yourself. I went from working two jobs that I love and also volunteering to being forced into my recliner just waiting to heal and research methods to assist in the fight. While I have learned a lot, sitting in front of a computer doing research and trying different holistic treatments does not pay the bills. It does however cost money as the alternate treatments are not covered by insurance such that it is.
Along with the lost income, my other bills also suffered. I have a whole list of bills that are behind and not just medical. Over the last few years, my mortgage has suffered and even though I had requested help through modification due to illness - I was denied.
I have applied for what seems to be every possible program and the last one which looked like it was going to be able to take my mortgage current was also denied. It was denied not by the program, but because the mortgage company informed them that they refused to take any payments from anyone while in foreclosure.
Why would anyone that is owed money NOT take payments against balances owed? It looks like the deck is truly stacked against any one person that doesn’t have a voice with enough strength to fight back. I have been struggling to rebuild my businesses. After all that time not working, I have lost clients and with the lost clients comes lost income.
Of course medications, holistic or prescribed, are expensive but necessary to heal and to keep the disease from coming back.
So meanwhile, I am working as much as possible to at least pay to eat and keep the lights on, etc. I am also paying for legal help with the foreclosure, but every time we make a little progress we get a set back.
One of my co workers set up a go fund me account which has not produced a lot. And while every bit helps, fighting a huge mortgage company takes $$$ and so does catching up on the past due amounts.
When did it become acceptable for a bank to decide whether they can reject funds from any source to pay a debt? This action they are taking amounts to giving them the ability to take my home without giving me a chance to reinstate my mortgage.
If this situation angers you, make noise about it. Complain to your lawmakers, you know the ones that are being supported by these banks by way of campaign donations, etc. Our laws are being driven by big corporate dollars and this is a reflection of this activity.
Of course if you see fit, I would appreciate any help you can afford. Losing my home is also a loss of my income as my home is also my central place of business. Thank you for your time and consideration.
https://www.GoFundMe.com/BillStephens