We went to see Spiderverse on christmas (I paid) and here are the updates:

1)The original overdrawn account is *going to be closed* by the bank on some certain date if he takes no action to make it current.

2)He did open the new account at a new bank..

3)He did call Social Security to get money routed to the new account - but he did it too late to stop this month's check from being transferred to the overdrawn account. (You have to make changes by the 14th of the month.) So that money is on the way to the old/overdrawn account this time - and future payments go to the new account.

But bad stuff:
1)He has not called/gone to the old bank to attempt to get some fees refunded.

Theory: I've had friends who are desperate in the past and they "shut down" their brains - I think it's some biological function or something. Objectively I told him "You're one stupid motherfucker to not even have called them and made an attempt to get some money back, you stupid motherfucker." I know that helps.

2)He has not actively closed the old overdrawn account.

Again, his brain is not working clearly - he's smart enough to know to do this. (We went to the same high school and took the same economics class which specifically talked about how to bank/balance a checkbook/etc."

He says "The bank said they old account would be closed before the date of the transfer so the account should be closed and maybe it'll bounce back to SSI and I can get the full amount from them at some point."

And I'm like "1)Close that fucking account NOW!! Not just checking - the entire account. 2)Notify your bank/tell them to stop accepting any transfers into those accounts."

Here's what is GOING to happen now:
1)The money from SSI arrives/is available in his overdrawn account on the 28th - which means the transfer from SSI to the bank probably started on the 26th or 27th. If the account is open the old bank will accept the funds - take any money he owes them out - and either keep the account open or close it and send him a check for the remaining amount.

2)The account is already closed but they accept the transfer, take their fees, then send the rest back to SSI which he has to tell to send to him via another method.

But his depression is certainly not allowing him make rational decisions. OR he's been poor so long he feels powerless around money - and allows (passively) himself to be taken advantage of by institutions. Like there's no way to stop it so why even try to minimize it.

I told him he needs to talk to his doctor and/or social worker to ask for help - because he's not able to help himself - and that's okay - it's part of his illness.