Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Banking for the Blind (self.Blind)
submitted by HotButteredGopher
My father is newly blind (about 2 years now). He is a landlord, and has a crew of guys that work for him. They go to stores like Home Depot on a daily basis using a credit card in my dad's name, with his authorization. They submit the receipts to him, that he stores in a shoe box for the tax man.
My father has seen his monthly business related bills rise about $200 a month, and the people who have access to the credit card are also the people who help him with the books. At this point he's concerned that he might be being taken advantage of, and I think the overall not knowing is really getting to him. I've personally looked at his credit card statement - all there are are 60 or so transactions at approved locations, which all look good to me.
An important note to this story is that my dad is not interested in technology. No to iPhones or screen readers. I bought him an echo and he did not like it / never found a use for it.
On to my questions:
1. Are there any banks that cater to the blind? Perhaps one who would read his transaction list over the phone?
2. Any tips for blind business owners who need to review credit card charges for many people? I imagine that it would be difficult to have to take another's word for it that what appears to be an ever increasing expense is all justified.
My father has seen his monthly business related bills rise about $200 a month, and the people who have access to the credit card are also the people who help him with the books. At this point he's concerned that he might be being taken advantage of, and I think the overall not knowing is really getting to him. I've personally looked at his credit card statement - all there are are 60 or so transactions at approved locations, which all look good to me.
An important note to this story is that my dad is not interested in technology. No to iPhones or screen readers. I bought him an echo and he did not like it / never found a use for it.
On to my questions:
1. Are there any banks that cater to the blind? Perhaps one who would read his transaction list over the phone?
2. Any tips for blind business owners who need to review credit card charges for many people? I imagine that it would be difficult to have to take another's word for it that what appears to be an ever increasing expense is all justified.
Amonwilde 3 points 5y ago
In my experience, banks relating to investing tend to be more solicitous, and you can often do everything you would do in a commercial bank. You might try opening an account with Schwab or similar and see if they'll help you with transactions.
Seems like your dad has decided not to take in any information that doesn't come from another human, since technology is the only other way to get receipts from paper into his head. So he might consider paying someone, say $80 to come in once a month and review everything with him for two hours. I wouldn't pay much less than that, though.
I will say that $200 a month isn't exactly a huge amount for contracting or superintendent work. In and of itself it doesn't seem like a huge red flag Most non-technological solutions to this problem are likely to cost more than $200 per month.
Seems like your dad has decided not to take in any information that doesn't come from another human, since technology is the only other way to get receipts from paper into his head. So he might consider paying someone, say $80 to come in once a month and review everything with him for two hours. I wouldn't pay much less than that, though.
I will say that $200 a month isn't exactly a huge amount for contracting or superintendent work. In and of itself it doesn't seem like a huge red flag Most non-technological solutions to this problem are likely to cost more than $200 per month.
HotButteredGopher [OP] 1 points 5y ago
The problem is that it seems to go up another $200 every month, in snowball fashion. I think you are right though - if he won't get into the computer age, then he'll need to hire an outside auditor.
Amonwilde 1 points 5y ago
If it's increasing like that I would absolutely say that's a red flag.
modulus 2 points 5y ago
It depends where, but in the UK HSBC will send braille statements with all the transactions on a monthly basis.
It's also possible to consult statements through a telephone interface, though it's automatic and requires a bit of dialling.
Other than that, I suspect paying for a person to do the work it would take is going to come out more expensive than the hypothetical fraud avoided.
It's also possible to consult statements through a telephone interface, though it's automatic and requires a bit of dialling.
Other than that, I suspect paying for a person to do the work it would take is going to come out more expensive than the hypothetical fraud avoided.
lancairns 1 points 5y ago
We put together a guide about the most accessible banks for blind and partially sighted people in the UK - https://www.choose.co.uk/guide/accessible-banking-for-blind-partially-sighted.html
Nighthawk321 1 points 5y ago
If he doesn't use technology, then that's kind of his problem.
fastfinge 1 points 5y ago
I do online banking for this exact reason. At least in Canada, there is no other way to read your monthly statements. I've heard that in the US, thanks to laws like the ADA, some banks will send out Braille statements in the mail. But that isn't a thing here.
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