Document Preservation

Did you know you can rent your own personal vault in an actual bank? 

A young man called me today because he needs a new Social Security card, but can’t prove U.S. citizenship with merely a copy of the  certificate. He lamented the $500 application fee to replace it. I don’t blame him. 

But the point remains: Lack of essential documentation is a frequent root cause of immigration (and life) problems. 

Safe deposit boxes are a reliable way to store documents like birth certificates, naturalization certificates, passports, wills, family heirlooms, and Social Security cards. See link below. Non-citizens in particular should start to use them as well as fireproof safes that can be gotten for relatively cheap off Amazon and Walmart. This is particularly so in the initial stages of immigration when non-citizens tend to move frequently, increasing the chance for loss. I think it’s important to begin educating on documentation preservation.

PS I don’t agree with some criticisms of safety deposit boxes. Multiple people can be given access according to who you trust. I’ve never heard of a bank and it’s contents being flooded in a storm, and nobody’s possessions are insured at home, so there’s no change in lack of insurance with a safe deposit box.

Some of this is geo-cultural. I say “geo” because I want to distinguish between cultural interest in being organized and simply growing up in a government system that does not require it. I am referring to the latter. Growing up in the US, I am used to the absolute necessity of an updated drivers license, insurance cards, birth certificates, etc. Other governments in the world are catching up to this and geographical, monetary, and population challenges. So this is not a judgment on individuals, just emphasis on the need to start moving forward.

Make it a priority for your life today.

https://www.trustworthy.com/blog/information-management/safety-deposit-box-worth