Replace
documents destroyed by Katrina
By
Keryn Page
MISSISSIPPI
STATE --
Hurricane
Katrina claimed many homes on the Gulf Coast, taking with
her valuable financial and personal documents that families
will want to replace.
Bobbie
Shaffett, Mississippi State University Extension Service
family resource management specialist, said knowing where to
look for help can make this job easier and
quicker.
"Victims
of this hurricane may be too overwhelmed to even consider
all the things they lost when their homes were destroyed,"
Shaffett said. "But once they start to put their lives back
together, they will need to replace their financial
documents -- things like income tax returns, vehicle titles,
wills and health records -- and their personal documents,
such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, Social
Security cards and driver's licenses."
Shaffett
said hurricane victims should contact their insurance agents
or companies immediately to get copies of insurance
policies, recent billing statements and related
information.
"Once
you've got your insurance situation under control, you might
begin thinking about replacing other documents," Shaffett
said.
A
complete list of important documents that may need to be
replaced and information on how to replace them is shown at
the bottom
of this page.
The
Federal Emergency Management Agency recommended hurricane
victims take the following steps as soon as they are
able:
*
Contact creditors for copies of loan applications and
statements.
*
Order copies of credit reports at http://www.annualcreditreport.com,
or contact a local credit bureau or call (877)
322-8228.
*
Contact the Internal Revenue Service or the state tax
hotline for copies of tax records and filings for the
past three years.
*
Order a duplicate Social Security card by downloading an
application at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/online/ss-5.html,
by calling (800) 772-1213 or by visiting the local Social
Security office.
In
some coastal counties, people may have had valuable papers
stored at locations that were destroyed by the hurricane.
Susan Cosgrove, an Extension family resource management area
agent based in Newton, said it is possible that some
valuable documents are gone for good.
"There
are some things that we may not be able to replace. Check
with agencies to see if they had a back-up system for
storing information," Cosgrove said. "The magnitude of this
disaster shows how unprepared the entire country was, and it
should serve as a wake-up call for us."
Cosgrove
said that as technology develops, more secure ways to store
information may help prevent such a problem in future
disasters. For now, families should use currently available
methods of protecting their valuable records.
"The
total losses many Coast residents are facing can serve as a
reminder of how important it is to be prepared for the
unexpected," Cosgrove said. "A home safe that is designed to
withstand fire, floods and other damage is a good place to
keep important papers. If you have a safe deposit box at a
bank, keep copies of these documents there, too.
"
If
the home safe is not waterproof, place important documents
in a waterproof bag and place it inside the safe. Consider
using a small safe that could be transported easily during
an emergency evacuation.
Cosgrove
recommended keeping the following items in a home safe or
safe deposit box:
*
Adoption papers.
* Birth, death and marriage certificates.
* Educational records.
* Insurance policies.
* Military service papers.
* Passports.
* Property deeds.
* Social Security cards.
* Stock certificates.
* U.S. savings bonds.
"You
might also want to make photocopies of these documents to
give to a trusted family member or friend who lives in a
different location," Cosgrove said.
-30-
Released:
Sept. 15, 2005
Contact: Dr. Bobbie Shaffett, (662) 325-3080 or Susan
Cosgrove, (601) 635-2268
REPLACING
FINANCIAL AND PERSONAL DOCUMENTS
|
Paper/Document
|
Replacement
Information
|
Adoption
papers
|
Mississippi
Department of Human Services
(800) 821-9157 or (601) 359-4989
|
Birth
certificates
Death certificates
Marriage records
|
Mississippi
Department of Health
The Office of Vital Records
571 Stadium Drive
P.O. Box 1700
Jackson, MS 39215-1700
(601) 576-7960
VRInfo@msdh.state.ms.us
|
Driver's
license
|
Apply
for a duplicate at a local driver's license
office.
|
Educational
records
|
Contact
school(s) attended.
|
Health
records
|
Contact
physician's office.
|
Insurance
policies
|
Contact
agency providing coverage. For agency
addresses:
American Council of Life Insurance
1001 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20004
(202) 624-2414
|
Military
service papers
|
To
obtain a copy of DD241 (a report of transfer or
discharge), or to request other military records,
call:
Army -- (314) 538-4261
Navy -- (314) 538-4141
Air Force -- (314) 538-4243
For
other records, call the Office of Personnel,
Civilian Records Center,
(314)
538-5761
|
Passport
|
Contact
the local post office.
|
Property
deeds
|
Contact
the local circuit clerk's office.
|
Social
Security cards
|
Contact
the local Social Security office, call (800)
772-1213 or visit www.socialsecurity.gov/online/ss-5.html.
|
Stock
certificates
|
Contact
any brokerage firm (fees may be
involved).
|
Taxes
|
|
Federal
income tax returns
|
For
those filing in Mississippi:
IRS Service Center
Memphis, TN 37501
(800) 829-1040
|
Property
and personal taxes
|
County
tax collector's office
|
State
income taxes
|
Mississippi
State Tax Commission
P.O. Box 1033
Jackson, MS 39215-1033
(601) 923-7000
|
U.S.
savings bonds
|
Ask
for form PDF-1048.
Federal Reserve Bank
Pittsburgh Branch
P.O. Box 867
Pittsburgh, PA 15230
(800) 245-2804
|
Vehicle
titles
|
Mississippi
State Tax Commission
P.O. Box 1033
Jackson, MS 39215-1033
(601) 923-7000
Ask for Form 78006 - Application for Replacement
Certificate of Title.
|
Will
|
Contact
the attorney who prepared it.
|
|