Aging In America

I am basically my mother's sole support. It wasn't meant to be like this. My Dad and she had saved for years. They had Social Security and stocks which were supposed to ease them into retirement. My Dad never made it. He worked until the day he died on Christmas Day 2002. The aftermath of 9/11 paired with the usurious and nasty attitudes of companies that bear well known names like Citibank, Chase, Walmart and Lowes have totally drained my Mom's reserves. Right now, she just has Social Security. There is no house to sell, it was sold five years ago. All the money went to pay ever escalating payments, late fees and interest rates which were jacked up for no other reason than my Dad's death. These companies took advantage of her distance from family and her naivete to bilk her. It is my job to call these companies and to tell them to stop calling her and stop sending threatening letters, because there is no money. None. Zilch. Nada. Their first response will be "well you're her daughter, aren't you OBLIGATED to pay your mother's debts?" Not really. Considering the meagre principle which has been artificially swollen to outrageous amounts, she has probably more than paid for the original purchases. It will be my job to pursuade them to reduce or totally write off these accounts. But much more than that, I have to wonder at the mentality of credit collection groups that go after widows in their 80's somehow thinking they can terrify these poor old people into paying for credit long since spent with money they do not have. What should she forego? Rent? Electricity? Water? Medicine? Food? Seriously, once the basics are paid for, there is no more to give. And sadly this same scenario is being played out across the country through families who are dealing with the economy in a very painful and personal way. I have been a skip tracer. I know what the job entails. But I also know there are legal limitations that are being breeched. There were no less than 120 messages on my mother's phone. And that doesn't even include some menacing text messages left by entities that should know better. I hope that God is with me on this quest. Frankly I have quite enough to deal with given my husband's unemployment and the shaky state of education in my state. My job, right now, for next year, is secure. But I am nearly 55, I don't have time or money for another college degree. There are so many more women like me-stuck in the middle. When the next election comes around, we will be the ones who decide the outcome. Politicians had better pay attention when we say we are not happy.