Safe Deposit Box

If you don't have a safe deposit box, go to your bank and ask for one. There is a small fee to maintain it, but it is possibly the best insurance against disaster or theft. In your permanent, portable safe at home, keep a list of what you have in your safe deposit box, as well as where it is, and the key. Give someone else a copy of this list for them to keep in their permanent file or safe deposit box. This should be someone you trust implicitly - it could be a family member outside those who live with you, or your lawyer, your pastor, etc. This is the person who will take care of your things in the case of your demise.

Important: If the portable safe is stolen, contact the bank immediately to have them prevent access to your safe deposit box.

Valuables in a bank safe deposit box are not automatically protected against burglary, flood or fire. Some banks offer insurance on the contents for a fee. Some insurance companies offer this insurance also.

In the safe deposit box, store

• valueable, hard to replace items.
• Wills
• Stock or bond certificates, bank savings certificates, etc.
• Insurance policies
• Property records - titles, deeds, mortgages, etc..
• Certificates - birth, death, marriage, divorce, military discharge, passports, etc.
• Inventory of items in your home, particulary valueables, including dates of purchase, costs and or values, and if photographs of these items.
• Small valuables, such as coins, jewelry, silver, etc.
• Tickets bought a long time in advance - airline, etc.

More finance tips

• Permanent files What to store in your permanent file.
• Safe Deposit Box What to store in, and how to get, a safe deposit box.
• Filing Checklist How to develop a filing system, either to start a new one or improve your existing one.
• Other Files What to else to keep in files.
• Budget Keeping a budget.
• Medical Records What to keep, and what to do with medical records.
• Home Inventory Creating and maintaining a home inventory file.
• Car Purchases The most efficient use of your money when purchasing a car.
• Phone Book An organized personal phone book file system.
• Keeping Records Where to keep records.
• A home office Setting up a home office.
• Home Office Running a business from home.
• Banking Banking, savings, checking, and other bank accounts.
• Balance the checkbook How to balance a checkbook.
• Interest What interest can do for you or to you.
• Bad checks How much a bounced check really costs.
• Tax refund What to do about tax refunds, how to calculate what to have taken out for taxes during the year.
• Pay off debt How to get out of and stay out of debt.
• Cutting Expenses Ideas for reducing expenses as much as possible.
• Investing Making wise investments.
• Credit Cards Making wise use of credit cards.
• Debit Cards How to use debit cards.
• Finances and records Getting started with your finances and records.

Visitor Comments

Related Links