This has nothing to do with computers! I am treating you to this topic because you're all so intelligent and I have not seen a nasty person here yet.
My OH recently had a meeting with a financial advisor about his pension. That was the only topic on the table. This financial advising firm has been in our lives for some years now, regarding his pension - I mention this to clarify that he didn't pick some financial advisor at random. (He did not meet the usual guy, he met the usual-guy's assistant.)
The response to that meeting which I did not attend - it has nothing to do with me - it is his pension not mine, is a raft of financial questionnaires which we are supposed to jointly fill in.
One of these questionnaires runs to 20 pages and covers both of us, since we live together. Remember the reason he went there? To discuss his pension.
One page wants a detailed list of household outgoing expenditure: utility bills, recreational expenses, school fees etc. THIS is the kind of thing which Mortgage companies ask about, to see if you're good for a loan. He was not asking for a loan.
Another page wants detailed information about income: both of us. My income, reserves, assets have nothing whatsoever to do with his pension.
Another page wants to know about Wills and Estate Planning. This has no bearing whatsoever on his pension. Yet another page wants to know all about Insurance Policies: building, contents, life, travel, mortgage protection, Key-Man etc. This also has no bearing on his pension.
There are also two separate 8-page questionnaires about attitude to financial risk. My attitude to financial risk is irrelevant in this context, it is not my pension.
Since all paperwork matters in this household devolve to me, otherwise nothing would get done, it has taken me some time to respond without sounding witheringly sarcastic. The 20-pager, I have left most pages completely blank because I regard the questions as totally irrelevant to the Topic On The Table: His Pension! The 8-pager, I have completed with written remarks (i.e., not ticked their boxes) or, left questions blank such as my own income which is none of their goddammed business.
I've written a letter to go with the uncompleted forms and shown my OH, explaining how difficult I found it to achieve the right balance between "Don't treat us like children", "Mind your own business and stick to the topic" and "I'm not a nasty person but for heavens' sakes!"
That was a tricky one. I write business letters all the time but I must admit that that one took a while.
Any opinions? Other than "Yeah that's bureaucracy for you these days"
Thanks
Last edited by Bensheim; 11/26/09 07:23 PM.
