Why Alive and Well Checks are a good idea...

From: The Albany Times Union
http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=883265&category=region


Saratoga County couple charged with cashing dead man's checks

By DENNIS YUSKO, Staff writer

ALBANY -- A Saratoga County couple are among three people charged with illegally collecting workers' compensation, the state Insurance Department said Wednesday.

Geoffrey Gabel, 40, and his wife, Kelly Gabel, 38, turned themselves in to Albany police Monday following an investigation by the Insurance Department's Frauds Bureau, spokesman Ron Klug said.The Gabels, of North Second Street, Mechanicville, allegedly cashed more than $13,000 in workers' compensation checks that had been sent to Paul Gabel, Geoffrey Gabel's dead father. They are charged with third-degree grand larceny, a felony, Klug said. He could not say if or how the alleged stolen money was spent.
An investigation began after a routine check by Crum & Forster Indemnity Co., a workers' compensation insurer, revealed that the elder Gabel had died in September 2008, Klug said.
The Gabels were arraigned in Albany City Court and released on bail, Klug said.
They face up to seven years in prison if convicted. A hearing will be scheduled in Albany County Court.

You may not be able to "take it with you" when you're gone, but your sketchy relatives sure could use it.  This type of scenario is all too common in the news in recent years.  As the story indicates, a form of Alive and Well check probably saved another $10,000 in ill-gotten benefits.  These should be done frequently to guard against this.  Dead men may not tell tales, but they can apparently still cash checks.