What to put in a safety dep box

[JohnDoe]

Recently got a 3x5x20 saftey dep box offered to me.

Somethings I was thinking about putting in...

Copies of our passports - if we ever get them (12 weeks and counting)
Copies of our estate plan - once completed
Document with all our accounts, with balances and userid/passwords

What else should/could go in it? What do you put in it?

JD

 

[flipstress]

Birth certificates
Immigration papers
Expensive jewelry not worn regularly

 

[W2R]

Recently got a 3x5x20 saftey dep box offered to me.

Somethings I was thinking about putting in...

Copies of our passports - if we ever get them (12 weeks and counting)
Copies of our estate plan - once completed
Document with all our accounts, with balances and userid/passwords

What else should/could go in it? What do you put in it?

JD

How about birth, marriage, divorce, death certificates if you have any, diplomas, any valuable jewelry/Rolexes that you only wear on special occasions, keys, automobile and house titles, insurance policies, and if you have them, love letters from your spouse and any kids' drawings and report cards that you never want to lose.

I don't have one.

 

[Sue J]

Data backup from your computer. If you use a digital camera and keep the pictures on your computer you can put them all on a disc or DVD and keep an extra copy in your box. Do that with any important documents from your computer, too.

I keep the sons' savings bonds in ours, since they are long term. I keep a record of the bond numbers, amounts and issue date so that we can look them up online.

 

[martyb]

Savings Bonds, valuable/old coins, old photos you don't want to lose...

 

[Meadbh]

House insurance certificate (in case the house burns down).....

 

[TromboneAl]

From someone whose house burned down once:

Copy of fire insurance policy, to refer to if your house burns down. Do you have architectural plans for you house? Yes, they might be on file with the government, but don't depend on it. Digitize them and store the CD.

When our house burned in the Oakland Firestorm, I spent a lot of time tracking down the plans, and was only partially successful.

 

[JohnDoe]

These are all good suggestions. I guess it's better to have it in a saftey dep box then in a home fire safe if it's something I don't need to access very often.

Thanks.

 

[FinanceDude]

Anything you don't want burnt to a crisp or blown away............

 

[Achiever51]

And, What NOT to put in a safety deposit box?

Your last will and testament or any final instructions to your family. They might not be able to access the box in a timely manner should the need arise without a court order.

 

[CuppaJoe]

...When our house burned in the Oakland Firestorm....

Wow! I'll never forget that day! I was touring around LA during the day and hadn't heard the news. People were desperate to get on our flight back to S.F. and I didn't know why until we landed. I'll never understand why the airline didn't ask for volunteers to be bumped; I'd have done it for nothing.

My doctor lost his house that day and only had time to save an oil painting of family members.