What Should I Put in My Safety Deposit Box?

Question:

I want to use a Bank Safety Deposit Box. What are the items I need to place there? And if I am not able to retrieve them my self, what steps would another need to take to get them (family) in case of death or other handicaps?Anne from Lewiston, ME

Answers:

Your Will

Your will,deeds and all your diamonds. lolSeriously anything you wouldn't want burned in a fire or maybe stolen. A trusted friend or family member should have a key also.

By edieparks

Important Papers

You should put any important papers your Family would need, stocks, bonds, property, birth certificatesrings, necklaces, and such that is of value or just important to you. Your (Will) also.The Bank will help with any and all details. Call your Bank and ask for details of what you should bringwith you.Hope this helps, Sherry.

By Sherry Hampton

Don't Put Your Will In

Don't put your will in the safe deposit box. Banks will close on the weekends and on holidays so if it is needed no one can get it. And the bank can seal the box if you die. They don't always do that but they can.To make sure some one can get into the box put their name(s) on the box too. Your spouse, children,sibling or a trusted friend.You should put your house title, car title, various CDs and birth certificates,and insurance policies if you have the policy numbers in another place for quick access.Your valuable jewelry or collections.It's quite a list.

By Ella

Scan Important Papers

Yes, by all means leave copies of all these documents in a safe place, but what many of my friends and I have done lately, is to (color) scan our documents stuff and get it on a CD or DVD. You can label it in such a way that only spouse/ family understand what it is. It is ALL there, and even though not the originals, it is good copy to have.

By Nelly

Bring a Trusted Friend

I'm no professional so these are just suggestions, but I'm in the group that agrees that unless your attorney keeps your original will, you should have your original will in your safety deposit box but make sure that your executor or executrix has an unsigned copy and instructions on where your original signed will is located. If something happens to you over the weekend, the wheels aren't gonna start moving until Monday anyway.What should you keep in a safety deposit box? Any original documents should be stored there: contracts you have with someone (with a contractor, with your employer), original savings bonds you've purchased or original stock certificates you may own should also be in there. Original court papers (adoption, divorce, lawsuit judgments), original car titles should be in there once you pay off your car and original deeds for any real property you own outright (without a mortgage!) Military records like your DD-214, original social security cards, original birth and death certificates, marriage license, your passport (unless you think you'll ever have to travel overseas at the drop of a hat over a weekend), your original college diploma if you don't keep it on a wall, a copy if you do in case the original is lost somehow.

Any professional licenses documents too - or career certification documents.If you own any expensive jewelry that you don't wear often, or have rare coins, they should be kept in there too. And do make a DVD or videotaped record of your possessions that you update every year just like changing your smoke detector batteries and preferably with a written inventory to match. If you have a total loss of your home, your insurance is likely to require any inventory.Copies of all other important documents like your deed of trust on your mortgage, your insurance policies for cars, house, personal property should be in there too.When you sign up for your box make sure that you bring an adult child, or trusted family member or friend with you so that you can assign them as a joint renter of the box - then if something should happen to you they will be able to access the box. Either that or assign someone power of attorney.

By Mary

Photo Negatives

I also put photo negatives and (now) CDs of my digital photos, the video of my daughters birth, etcAnything that is irreplaceable.

By Diana

No Pearls

This is all good information, but please do NOT put pearls in the safe deposit box. It is very dry in the boxes and can hurt the pearls.

By liljazzz