[tekadict352]

In 2003 I had a savings account with Egg, which as been taken over by the Yorkshire Building Society. During that year a substantial amount of money was supposedly deposited into that account from my wife's pension. For reasons recently revealed, I would like a copy of my account for that year to verify this money was paid. YBS say they cannot go back beyond 2004.
Can you advise me on what to do?

[Curlyben]

You are out of luck if the bank doesn't hold these records, unless you have evidence of the initial incoming transaction...
Surely if it was that long ago the moneys would have been used or reallocated...

[tekadict352]

You are out of luck if the bank doesn't hold these records, unless you have evidence of the initial incoming transaction...
Surely if it was that long ago the moneys would have been used or reallocated...

Thank you for your reply.
The account was a savings account and rarely used, ready for our mature years, which I have now reached.
What would be evidence of initial incoming transaction?
I have recently discovered a letter to my wife, from her pension company, saying this sum of money was deposited in my account. I do not recall this.
The pension company has changed hands 3/4 times and they also say they cannot go back that far.

[ebaines]

This may be obvious, but you should have been receiving quarterly or annual account statements, and a 1099-INT tax form each year from the bank. Have you lost all those records?

Another idea: if there was a substantial increase in the account balance in mid-2003 there was likely a corresponding increase in interest earned for the subsequent years. If you compare the interest reported from this bank on your 2003 and 2004 income tax returns against 2002 you may be able to tell whether there was a substantial deposit in 2003.

[ScottGem]

I understand that this was a rarely used account, but that is no excuse for not keeping valid records. I have savings accounts that have not been touched for years, but I get regular statements and I would definitely know if there was a significant increase in the account. While banks are required to keep records for a time, they cannot be expected to keep them forever, especially if institutions change hands.

One other point here, if this was a distribution from your wife's pension plan, then it should have been rolled over into an IRA or you would have had to pay income taxes on the distribution which would have significantly affected your 2003 tax return.

[ebaines]

One other point here, if this was a distribution from your wife's pension plan, then it should have been rolled over into an IRA or you would have had to pay income taxes on the distribution which would have significantly affected your 2003 tax return.

Excellent point! And this raises a question for the OP - are you absolutely sure that the pension plan administrator stated that the funds were transferred into a savings account, as opposed to an IRA? You say that the funds were "supposedly" deposited in the savings account - what evidence are you relying on for this supposed occurrence? Also - have you tried contacting the pension administrator for your wife's employer to see if they can verify the transaction?