Guard Your Keepsakes

RCB Bank employee Debbie Jones explains the benefits of having a safe deposit box.

Protect your valuables in a safe deposit box like the ones seen here. Pictured is Matt Klem.

Seven years ago, a flood surged through my house, destroying practically ­everything I owned. As my husband and I were sorting through the mucky mess, we found that our wedding ­pictures were discolored and damaged, my husband’s ­baseball card collection was soiled with soot and ­ultimately ruined, and all of our tax documents past and present were swept away in the rushing current never to be found.  

    For years, I stressed over the thought of a random tax audit. What would I do? I had no records, no ­supporting documents. And, my husband was devastated knowing that he had worked so hard and long to build a valuable ­collection only to see it now worth next to nothing.

    If only we had protected our valuables in a safe deposit box at the bank.

    RCB Bank employee Debbie Jones has owned a safe deposit box for many years and highly recommends them to anyone who has important papers, family ­heirlooms or other items that would be hard pressed to replace.

    “It’s a much safer place to store important documents than at your house, in case of a fire, flood or other natural disaster or in case of a ­burglary,” said Jones.

    When deciding if a safe deposit box is right for you or what items to store in your box, ask yourself, “If this item was lost, can I easily replace it?” If the answer is no, then consider storing your ­keepsakes it in a safe deposit box. Common items include:

•    birth certificates, ­

      marriage certificates,

      passports

•    loan documents,

      mortgages, property deeds

•    life insurance policies,  

      homeowner’s policies, car    

      insurance policies

•    stock or bond certificates

•    gemstones, collectables,   

      heirlooms

     “The list goes on,” Jones said. “I even have the ­originals of a few one-of-a-kind photos of my grandparents in there for safekeeping.”

    When it comes to privacy and security, each safe deposit box takes two keys to access: one is held by the bank staff and the other by the box ­owner. It takes both keys to open the box.

    Box rentals range from $20 to $75 annually, ­depending on the size of box.* RCB Bank allows its ­customers the ability to set up an automatic debit from their bank accounts.

    Access to safe deposit boxes is usually available ­during normal business hours.

    “I just take my key to the vault, sign in and I’m in,” said Jones. “They’re relatively ­inexpensive, easy to access and it gives me peace of mind to know that I can go to one place and find everything that I need safe and sound.”

    Information listed is based on RCB Bank Safe Deposit Box rental prices. Fees, box sizes and payment plans may vary at other ­financial institutions or safe deposit box providers.

Contents of your safe deposit box are NOT insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any ­government agency.

For more information, contact

RCB Bank

855-BANK-RCB

www.bankrcb.net