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Show " ILLUSTRATED BY LAINI MTMAN - Will Y , M (Get Yomr Due ? by Jerry Klein WfHEN a young husband died in Kansas V city recently, he left s5 little that his wife had to borrow money for the funeral. Then she had to go back and live at her .parents house. Six months later while rummaging through a box of her husband's papers, she found that he had a paid-u- p insurance policy worth $2,000. ) Another young widow in Syracuse, Some men make the mistake of banking the family savings in their own names, instead of in a joint account. One such husband, a prosperous salesman, fell ill in a distant city and asked his wife to take the next plane there. Shamefaced, she had to borrow money from a loan company to buy her ticket because she couldn't withdraw a penny from New their bank account. work scrubbing floors in York, went to order support her three little children. to Another embarrassed woman kept secret from her husband the fact that she'd lost her new fur coat. When he accidentally learned of the loss many months later, he informed his wife that their insurance covered her coat. But it It wasn't until two years later that she discovered that she was entitled to a widow's payment Social Security a month. Her tardiness cost her $1,875 in forfeited payments. Unfortunately, these cases are not unusual. For too .many wives don't keep themselves haformed on such matters as policieand Social Security beriefUsrEqually unfortunate Is the fact that (some husbands fail to keep their financial and legal affairs in apple-pi- e order. Efficient as they may be at their Jobs, many husbands and wives are extremely unbusinesslike when it comes to vital records. Right at this moment, for example, do you know where your insurance policy is? YpurSocial Security card? the bill of sale onyour "car? "'"rrt- Ufe-iiisura- . n - lO 7 j o 9 9 . o . o o 1." . O 6 ''ftl j of $85 was difficult to file a claim woman to know THE best way for a insurance-wise is things stand to hold a three-wa- y discussion with her ne husband and the insurance agent. They should sit down together and check over carefully just what their policies cover, their value and method of payment, dates and amounts of premiums, These data, plus a list of the names and addresses of the insurance companies, and the policy numbers, belong in a vault or strongbox. In the same place belong your deed, mortgage certificates, tax bills and a signed copy of your will. Lawyers advise that your original will be held by some trustworthy friend. Every once in a while, husband and wife should review the locations of all their important papers. Get notarized safe-depo- sit Even If you know where these documents are, have you ever really studied them? For instance, do you know whether your life insurance also provides benefits if you are ill? Some policies do, you know. Have you ever asked your regional Social Security office for an explanation of the various benefits you may be entitled to? Don't wait until you're 65! copies of any helps to keep And should your sayings bonds get lost, do you "have a copy. of in some safe spot that you'll retheir-numbers-put-aw- ;ft.uswd4;.oritoericans fail to apply Security payments. Other thousands actually forget about bank de for Social posits and,- - when the banksare-unabl- e to locate them, their money is turned over to the state. - Millions of . dollars in hertted by state treasuriesT that are missing. It also a check list in a handy notebooki., for ay member? The American taxpayer is an amazing animal; he grouses so often about the cost of living and the necessity to watch after a lifetime of payeverydollar.-Y- et ing dues, he forgets to apply for fraternal, business or urdon; benefits Jhat hes V a delay. after so long example, should you need to prove your citizenship to land that new job at the. defense plant, youll be able to Then, ' locate your birth certificate without , ? delay. - As a matter of fact, are you sure that . can prove you're "Mrs. John Doe"? Justthe. other, day ja woian, in Shawnee ' Oklahoma, asked the County Court for a copy of her marriage certificate. The clerk produced the But it certified that for 41 years she'd "beenmarried"to-herhusband,- s brother ! Things were set straight, eventually. But it was the kind of unnecessary mix-u- p that-pr- o ves again-th- e importance of the family's Tpaper work T''."' you - Keeping your papers in order can make the difference fAS&ZVt mZKLY ULAGAZmZ MARCH 14, It54 |