I Am Just Venting Does Anyone Else Feel This Way

Call the billing company and have both of your names put on the bill. I simply handed the phone to my husband when they asked to speak to him for an ok, and they added the name to the billing. I have run into the same thing you have when I have had to call a company for service problems!

Maybe you could check into how common law works since Texas is a common law state. That might give you some ammo when dealing with these people.

The problem is not with the companies it is with your husband. If he opened the account as a joint account giving you authorization you would have it. Even if you have a card in your name, you are not a joint applicant and all he has to do is give authorization once and that should cover it for every time you need to speak to them. And, you would not be responsible for the debt if something happened to him because you were only an authorized user on the account.

In most cases, the account can be converted to a joint account solving the problem but the request needs to come from your husband.

Wait until the kids get to school and your doctor's office refuses to fax a document to your home because they might push a wrong digit and accidentally send it elsewhere, which makes oddles of sense as with most fax machines, the number is on a readout before you actually push send, and this is to my home phone number, the same home phone number I have had for 20 years, so how could anyone but me be asking for it. The funny part is that if the school asks, they will fax it to them. Apparently sending personal HIPPA documents to schools is not fraught with the punching in the wrong digit issue.

Yes, I feel this way too. It is so frustrating, when companies won't listen to you, when accounts are in your husband's name. This happened with our cell phone T-Mobile. I got frustrated and called customer service and complained. They listened to me then. I haven't had a problem since. You might want to try that, never know it might help.

My personal opinion is there is so much Identity Theft, that companies have gotten stricter on giving out information. It is good in a way, however makes life much more difficult for everyone! I've even experienced this in the medical field when talking to Nurses/Dr.'s offices and I think that is due to the HIPPA laws. Confidentiality is big in the medical records and with criminals producing fake Id cards and insurance cards, it makes it easy for them to get to our medical records.

Texas is a community property state, if something were to happen to your husband, they would expect you to pay "his" bills! Of course, they couldn't let you cancel any services or credit cards, since they are "his", but they would still expect you to pay up! My husband and I have a gas credit card (each of us has a card with our name on it). They will NOT speak to me, under any circumstance. My husband asked them to mark their records to allow them to talk to me. He was told that the only way that would be possible was if I opened my own account. We don't use the card anymore. Ridiculous!!!!!

AMEN!!! I hate it when they give me that line "I need your husbands approval to speak with you regarding the matter" That is nonsense. I am married to him that's all the permission that I need. I just started putting myself as the main person on the account and my husband as second. I too am a SAHM that makes sure everyone gets paid. If I put myself first then there is not an issue. I hope this helps and I feel your frustration.

I have been there! My hubby makes the money and pays the bills...but he usually wants me to make the phone calls. We have a wireless modem and we have been having prob. with it shutting down and then our House Alarm would go off! So we have moved to a land line for our home alarm.

When trying to add a phone line to our acct with Verizon they asked me if i wanted to put the acct in my name. I said no we already have an acct with you so why would I want to do that? She said because it is in my husbands name and she cant add a line with out talking to him. She wouldnt do buisness with his WIFE! Unless I want to open a acct which i cant since I dont work...I am a house wife. STUPID!

I am sure if he ever died they would be asking his WIFE for $$$ to pay the bills.

Hi J.,
Just writing to say, "I hear ya!" I've gone through the process of having to put both our names on all the accounts and it's a pain but it's worth it. Also, any new accounts have both our names and when we bought our house recently I made sure my name was on that too. One thing to consider...I have one credit card that is just in MY name and he is on it as an authorized user. I use it regularly and keep it paid off every month. Periodically I had them increase my limit on it (even though I wasn't using it all) until it got to a good amount. I did that so that, just in case something does happen, I have an ongoing credit history. I knew a widow who had a lot of trouble when her husband died because, even though she paid the bills and was even an authorized user, it wasn't actually in her credit history. Unfortunately, in today's society, no company wants to deal with someone with a lack of credit history. It's almost as bad as bad credit history. It stinks to have to deal with all of this but it is what it is. Glad you're getting it out and not stewing - that profits nothing. Good luck!

R.