I AM A "Senior Research associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations"
3 years ago I bought a small rental house as retirement investment instead of a 401K. When I contracted to buy the house I qualified for the loan on my own (I was working then) but the older MALE loan officer (small town-small bank) mentioned to me that he did not think that a married woman should buy a house without having her husband on the paperwork. At the closing I find my DH is listed first on the deed jointly with me and I am the only person listed on the loan. Loan officer produces a a letter signed by my DH giving me power POA to sign his name during the purchase. I was DUMBFOUNDED and continued the closing only because there had been another offer on the house. DH explained that while he was at the bank making his weekly deposit the Sat. before the closing on Monday the receptionist tells him that they had some papers for him to sign and proceeds to tell him that I would not get the loan if he did not sign the POA paper. That it was the only way that my assets could be "protected". If something happened to me the house would automatically revert to DH. He had not told me because he did not want me to be upset because I was so happy about the house. My real estate agent (male) was angrier than I was and reported the loan officer to the president of the bank (to no avail)
Sometimes you cannot escape the "Good Ole Boy" system.