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Protecting Your Assets

Keeping Your Property from Being Declared Abandoned

The following is some useful advice that the everybody should follow to protect their assets from becoming lost or abandoned.

1. Keep complete records of all your assets (bank accounts, insurance policies, stocks, deeds, bonds, etc.) in a safe place such as a safe-deposit box and make sure you hear from the bank, insurance company or issuer regularly, at least once a year. Note maturity dates on Certificates of Deposit and bonds and redeem or reinvest them promptly.

2. Notify all businesses you deal with of change of address, marriage, divorce, or any other event that might make it difficult for them to communicate with you.

3. Keep your accounts active through regular deposits and withdrawals. Go to your bank to have interest added to passbooks regularly. Be especially careful of accounts started for your child, or in a school banking program.

4. Deposit or cash all interest or dividend checks immediately after you receive them.

5. Read mailings from your banks, insurance companies, stockbrokers and corporate issuers of stocks and bonds. If a response is required, do so promptly. Always vote your stock proxy.

6. Be sure that the junk mail you throw away is really junk mail!