2 Houses, 6 Bank Accounts, Work Checks Go Into Separate Accounts with Different Addresses...Problem???

[visaqueries 111]

I'm looking ahead to 2017 with this question...

Background

At our bank they have an incentive. If you deposit $50 into a savings account for 11 months in a row, you will get an additional $50 from the bank. You can do this for up to two savings accounts per address. Well, I own two homes (one is where my husband and I live and the other is where my mom and sister live). We always love the opportunity to earn extra money with minimal effort, so (under the direction and okay of our bank lady) we opened checking accounts--with both our names on them--at each home address. Because we could also open two savings accounts per physical address, we did. Each month my husband's paycheck goes into the account where my mom's physical address is, and my paycheck goes into our home's checking account. We then transfer $50 from my husband's paycheck account into each of the four savings accounts and transfer the rest of the money (minus $2) into our main checking account (the one with our physical address). I know--crazy--but we already received $200 for last year and are on track for another $200 this year. All of our bills are paid from the main checking account (our home address)--his credit cards, my credit cards, joint credit cards, utilities, car payment, mortgage.

As we begin thinking about ROC, I wonder if this 6 account, 2 addresses situation will be a problem. This is what we have: We have credit cards with the same number issued to each of us. We have tax transcripts for 2014 and (soon) 2015 where we filed married jointly. We named each other as beneficiary on our life insurance/retirement policies. We have tickets showing we've traveled together. We have 6 banking accounts showing both our names (albeit 3 at one address and 3 at the other). We share the title to the car we bought in November 2014. We go to the dentist together, so the bills have both our names. We have social media posts/pictures with us spending time with my family.

What we don't have: Each of our jobs offers us insurance, so we have different policies. He's not on the bills or the house. I've owned our home, since 2000 and we've not spent the money (though we have an extra $200 ) to put his name on the loan. We have not made wills or power of attorney.

So...will the 6 accounts, two addresses be a huge problem for us? Could an affidavit from my sister and mother stating they live at one home, and we do not be something we should consider? Do we have to include all the banking statements from all six accounts or could we not submit the statements from the other address? Should we give up our dream of being "hundredaires" through the savings account incentive?

Thanks for your thoughts. If the consensus is we need to change our money making practices, then I want to make sure the changes are made well in advance of our 2017 bid for ROC.

[Sukie 1,474]

I'm looking ahead to 2017 with this question...

Background

At our bank they have an incentive. If you deposit $50 into a savings account for 11 months in a row, you will get an additional $50 from the bank. You can do this for up to two savings accounts per address. Well, I own two homes (one is where my husband and I live and the other is where my mom and sister live). We always love the opportunity to earn extra money with minimal effort, so (under the direction and okay of our bank lady) we opened checking accounts--with both our names on them--at each home address. Because we could also open two savings accounts per physical address, we did. Each month my husband's paycheck goes into the account where my mom's physical address is, and my paycheck goes into our home's checking account. We then transfer $50 from my husband's paycheck account into each of the four savings accounts and transfer the rest of the money (minus $2) into our main checking account (the one with our physical address). I know--crazy--but we already received $200 for last year and are on track for another $200 this year. All of our bills are paid from the main checking account (our home address)--his credit cards, my credit cards, joint credit cards, utilities, car payment, mortgage.

As we begin thinking about ROC, I wonder if this 6 account, 2 addresses situation will be a problem. This is what we have: We have credit cards with the same number issued to each of us. We have tax transcripts for 2014 and (soon) 2015 where we filed married jointly. We named each other as beneficiary on our life insurance/retirement policies. We have tickets showing we've traveled together. We have 6 banking accounts showing both our names (albeit 3 at one address and 3 at the other). We share the title to the car we bought in November 2014. We go to the dentist together, so the bills have both our names. We have social media posts/pictures with us spending time with my family.

What we don't have: Each of our jobs offers us insurance, so we have different policies. He's not on the bills or the house. I've owned our home, since 2000 and we've not spent the money (though we have an extra $200 ) to put his name on the loan. We have not made wills or power of attorney.

So...will the 6 accounts, two addresses be a huge problem for us? Could an affidavit from my sister and mother stating they live at one home, and we do not be something we should consider? Do we have to include all the banking statements from all six accounts or could we not submit the statements from the other address? Should we give up our dream of being "hundredaires" through the savings account incentive?

Thanks for your thoughts. If the consensus is we need to change our money making practices, then I want to make sure the changes are made well in advance of our 2017 bid for ROC.

You should be OK. If you own all that property (bank accounts and houses) then you really DO need wills! That is a very mature step to take in a relationship - and you have plenty of time to do this. It is a key document for a marriage and for your I-751. Medical power of attorney assignment is critical too - at least if you trust your spouse to make the kind of awful decisions that sometimes need to be made. Nothing says "married" like assigning your life decisions to your mate.

When you send in your packet, then write down the story you have written above - that due to bank incentives, this is how you have arranged your banking accounts. Also explain that you owned the houses prior to the marriage and why you haven't added him to the loan or to the deed. (I am doing this, too. I owned the house prior to my even meeting my spouse.)

Tell your story in words, and back it up with documents.

Best of luck. Our I-751 filing date is April 16th - so we are getting our paperwork in order now!

Sukie in NY

[AB loves AG 54]

I owned my house prior to our K-1 visa. When we got married I wanted to add my husband to the mortgage and to the deed on the house. In my state the bank would not let me add my husband to the mortgage because he did not have 2 years left on his green card which was the rule. When we got his 1st 2 year GC it was already less than 2 years due to the mailing time. We have to wait until he gets his 10 year GC to do this. I plan on just writing this in the ROC papers.

[Penguin_ie 5,997]

Some of your accounts are joint, right? Just show these. Don't lie about the other ones if asked, but don't pro-actively show them.

[visaqueries 111]

Oh, they are all joint. So we have 6 accounts with both our names (and one with the credit union with my school district I forgot about last night). Neither of us have an account by ourselves.

I guess a will might be a good idea. My mom's house was bought by me simply because my credit rating was able to help out after my dad died. If nothing else, I could make sure my sister inherited their house and my husband kept rights to our house. I imagine that would also help with my tale of savings account incentive fortunes.