Rhonda Bracey: At Random

I mentioned the other day that my father-in-law had passed away. Now my husband (one of the executors) is dealing with finalising things such as bank accounts etc.

The bank wants a whole lot of stuff before it will close the account – things like the death certificate (understandable) and his father’s birth certificate. I have no idea *why* they want the birth certificate – they would’ve have required it years ago when he opened the account. Anyhow, the birth certificate cannot be found.

So my husband goes to the government website for Births, Deaths, and Marriages and downloads the application form for getting a certificate. (BTW, this application costs $40 + $30 more if the request is urgent… money for jam, if you ask me!).

Now, get this! The instructions under who can get a birth certificate state that only the person named on the birth certificate or that person’s parents, can apply for a birth certificate! What the???? The father-in-law was 81, and has been cremated. Obviously his parents are long gone. So how the hell does my husband (his eldest son and Executor) get a birth certificate to show the bank so the bank can close the account???

This is bureaucracy gone mad!