- - This widow was charged $210 for new ComEd account after her husband died, but she fought it and won. Avoid unfair feeds when transferring accounts

Jessica WongJanuary 16, 2026 at 11:00 PM

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Marsha Thomas was charged $210 as a security deposit for a new utility account after her husband died.

When Marsha Thomas’s husband died four years ago, she struggled with both grief and significant financial paperwork.

Like many surviving spouses, the Chicago woman set about the job of transferring household accounts — including utility bills — into her own name.

“You have to prove so many things, and everybody wants a certified copy of a death certificate. The funeral home says get a dozen so you can prove it,” Thomas told NBC Chicago (1).

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One account got lost in the shuffle: the ComEd electric account, left in her late husband’s name.

Thomas said she didn’t realize the error until the fall of 2025 when she contacted ComEd. The company agreed to close the old account and opened a new one in her name.

But she got a surprise on the very next bill.

Why utility accounts are a hidden risk after a death

“I got a letter from ComEd saying they were going to charge me a new account deposit,” Thomas told NBC 5.

Her bill showed a $210 security deposit.

When she spoke to customer service at ComEd, they told her the charge was standard on new accounts.

According to Illinois Commerce Commission rules, customer deposits are meant to protect utilities against potential unpaid debt (2).

But Thomas had paid all the electricity bills on time and didn’t have any unpaid debt.

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She called and emailed ComEd six times to dispute the charge. Each time she was told nothing could be done.

Then Thomas reached out to NBC Chicago to advocate on her behalf. When the TV station reached out to ComEd, the company sent an email saying:

“ComEd is dedicated to providing all customers with timely and accurate billing. On rare occasions, a clerical error may lead to an inadvertent charge on a customer’s account. In such cases, ComEd will promptly resolve the issue and ensure appropriate retraining is conducted.” (1)

After that, Thomas was refunded the full $210 she’d been charged. She credits the media attention with the win.

What consumers can do

For many older Americans, taking over the household finances after a spouse dies is an overwhelming task on top of an already long list of things to do.

Utilities usually require one of two things after a death: the account must be officially transferred into the surviving spouse’s name or closed and reopened (3).

If that isn’t done, customers could potentially face challenges like security deposits, credit checks or service interruptions.

That’s where state utility commissions come in. Agencies like the Illinois Commerce Commission oversee billing rules and handle consumer complaints when things go wrong (4).

Some utility companies also offer hardship protections, payment plans or deposit waivers but those differ depending on the company and the state (5).

In Illinois, the Commerce Commission advises customers to reach out to its consumer services division if billing issues can’t be resolved directly with the utility company.

Here are some steps surviving spouse’s can take to cut down the risk of billing surprises when transferring household accounts into their own name::

Ask questions.

When you let your utility company know about a death, ask whether the account is being transferred or closed and reopened.

Get written confirmation.

Ask for documentation showing how the account was changed and whether or not a deposit applies.

Ask about deposit waivers.

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), you’re not a new customer if you had an account under your spouse’s name, so they can’t ask for a deposit (6).

Review the first bill carefully.

It’s a good habit to review all bills, but mistakes can crop up right after an account change so look over that first bill with a fine tooth comb.

Contact your state utility commission.

If a dispute is stalled, filing a formal complaint could be your next step.

Marsha Thomas’ story is a reminder that after loss, missing even small administrative details can end up costing you.

A phone call to your utility company, a written confirmation and careful bill reviews won’t ease your grief, but they can help protect you against an unnecessary hit to your wallet.

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Article sources

We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.

NBC Chicago (1); Illinois Government Administrative Code (2); Elayne (3); Illinois Legal Aid (4); National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association (5); Federal Trade Commission (6)

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Money”