Full question:
My mother is receiving assistance from the housing authority in Myrtle Beach SC and we have a joint banking account that is linked with my personal savings and checking account. When I filled out her recent renewal I blacked out all my personal information and left her banking information as is. I was told this is unacceptable and that nothing should be blocked out even though her information was untouched. I question whether I should have to expose my personal information for anyone to view and is this an invasion of my privacy? In the past I have submitted forms with my information blacked out that were acceptable.
- Category: Banking laws
- Date:
- State: South Carolina
Answer:
We cannot give legal advice. The following is not a substitute for the advice of a local attorney. But we hope the information will be useful.
If you have a record of a past renewal where your information was blacked out, you could show this to them. They might be willing to let you do it again. They aren't invading your privacy - that would only happen if they got your information without your consent. In your case, you can refuse to consent to give them what they want (your info), but if you refuse, they aren't going to do business with you - which is their prerogative.
The thing you can do within a day's time is restructure your bank account situation to eliminate the problem. It is the joint account that is causing you this trouble. So close the joint account, and/or open a single account for your mother that she can use for the housing money. This is the easiest way to solve your problem. Good luck.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.
