What to do with a large amount of cash?

What to do with a large amount of cash?

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Discussion

clockworks

Original Poster:

5,382 posts

146 months

Friday 28th April 2017
quotequote all
Of course, this is a hypothetical question....

A recently widowed elderly woman has £20k in cash secreted in her house. Totally legit, her late husband didn't trust banks. She doesn't want to have the cash lying around now that he has passed away.

What's the best way to get the money into the banking system without falling foul of money laundering rules, and maximising interest?

As I said, the money is totally legit, accumulated over the last few years. Husband told her to withdraw all their pension money (state and company) each week, and what she didn't spend in Tesco got put into a tin.

My thoughts are to open several interest-paying current accounts, Nationwide, Lloyd's, etc.

Sten.

2,244 posts

135 months

Friday 28th April 2017
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I'm a bank manager and we regularly take large deposits like this, no problems with paying that into a current/savings account at all.

clockworks

Original Poster:

5,382 posts

146 months

Friday 28th April 2017
quotequote all
Good to know that there won't be too many awkward questions. The lady is embarrassed that she allowed this to happen.

mrtwisty

3,057 posts

166 months

Friday 28th April 2017
quotequote all
clockworks said:
Good to know that there won't be too many awkward questions. The lady is embarrassed that she allowed this to happen.
I thought you said it was hypothetical?

bmwmike

6,958 posts

109 months

Friday 28th April 2017
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Could be proceeds from sale of car or anything really. Can't imagine anything under 50k would cause too many alarm bells these days..

Rollin

6,099 posts

246 months

Friday 28th April 2017
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HSBC wouldn't allow me to pay this amount into an FD account. Wanted proof of where it came from and lots of questioning. They said I would need to have a meeting with someone who wasn't there at present. Ended up getting charged to pay it into business account elsewhere.

AyBee

10,538 posts

203 months

Friday 28th April 2017
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I'd probably do it in smaller amounts over a period of time to avoid any questions, but you probably also need to be prepared for questions about whether tax has been paid on these amounts...

red_slr

17,279 posts

190 months

Friday 28th April 2017
quotequote all
I would just pick your branch TBH. Either use your own bank where you are known, speak to manager before hand and just advise you are bringing it in on a set day - probably do it on a day he or she is there.

Or if you don't bank often try and use a larger branch that will have people around if needed and also they will be more used to handling such sums. My own personal account is at a small local branch and they gasp at £200 cash let alone £20k. My business bank is a much larger branch and £20k would be a daily transaction for them. I have seen people paying in 3-4 times that no questions asked.

Just don't blab about it - keep it QT and don't discuss in the bank in ear shot of others!! You never know who knows who!

iphonedyou

9,258 posts

158 months

Friday 28th April 2017
quotequote all
swerni said:
The hypothetical lady Is hypothetically embarrassed for some obscure and hypothetical reason.
rofl

Pretty sure OP has conflated £20k of old lady's savings with £2,000,000 of Russian mafia's float.

98elise

26,681 posts

162 months

Friday 28th April 2017
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You would be surprised at how many old people do not trust banks, and keep way too much cash in the house.


NickCQ

5,392 posts

97 months

Friday 28th April 2017
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There was a TV drama recently where some old guy did this, but the notes turned out to be no longer legal tender when the cache was discovered 20 years on. What was that? Marcella maybe? Or was it Capital?

audidoody

8,597 posts

257 months

Monday 1st May 2017
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Turn it into gold sovereigns if she hypothetically doesn't trust banks?