Metlife

"So I'm attempting a small rollover out of a MetLife annuity. For starters they make you do everything over the phone, it's like they are the mafia and don't want written records or something. So when you call you get someone in Asia who has roosters crowing in the background, they are generally pleasant but not knowledgeable so the story seems to change every time you call, anyway I asked for a rollover check and MetLife says I need some form from the receiving institution, so I contact the receiving institution and they so I shouldn't need a form for this. Now I call MetLife back and tell them the receiving institution said I shouldn't need the form and they say sure in that case we can send you a rollover check, or so I thought. Again, they force you to work over the phone so no written records. But then the fun starts, they send me a distribution check and a 1099-R even though IMO, I could not have be clearer I was looking for a rollover check. So I call after I get the mistake check, it was Jan. 4th, it took me a week or so as this was all happening over the holidays, and I'm told they will investigate and will call me in few days. I waited over two weeks and no call, so I call and get someone telling me I clearly asked for the distribution check (a lie) oh and they don't give tax advice (I never asked for tax advice, so I don't get that). After a few more dead calls over the next few weeks where they said they would look into it and call me back (I'm still waiting for that call). Now I call again and get someone at MetLife (in Asia roosters are crowing again) I get them to admit no investigation has even started, so they say not to deposit the check as they might cancel it start over or something. So now I finally get a case number and a contact name only, no phone or email, and I wait a week for an email, they say they don't give out direct phone numbers to people, but you can call the dead-end phone number to the chicken coop all you want. Anyway, they tell me via email they are working on it. Week or so they say they will send me the check for mistaken taxes withheld. I even contacted the receiving institution about this, and they say no problemo, just make two separate rollovers, one for each. A week more and no check so I email back, and they say any day now and I'll have it, but then I question getting the 1099-R corrected and I get the same BS story that I had asked for a distribution check (a lie) and also, they don't give tax advice (I don't want any from them). I respond respectfully they are wrong. Now I'm on radio silence from the email guy so I'm back to the dead end phone line, I call and ask how the chickens are, I get someone who appears knowledgeable but who can really fool you, then you get transferred to someone else who is also not knowledgeable and they email you a magic form that will fix everything, but it turns out to be the wrong form and you get to start over by calling the chicken coop again since there is really no other option available. BTW, anytime you call, you have and go through the painful lengthy automated menus."

"No good"