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LEGAL LINKS |
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National Senior Citizens
Law Center
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Elderlaw Answers |
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National Academy of Elder
Law Attorneys |
Free Commonly Used Letters
and Forms |
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Social Security Changes for
2005 |
Prevent Elder Abuse |
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More on Laws and Regulations
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U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging
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Social Security Act
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Senate
Bills of Interest to Senior Citizens |
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Older
Americans Act of 1965, Amended |
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Medicare Modernization Act of
2003 |
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Opinions, that Affect Pension Plans
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ADEA Act of 1967 |
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A Must-Do Project for Every
Senior |
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LEGAL TIPS |
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FIRST 8 ITEMS WERE
WRITTEN BY A LAWYER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH! SeniorArk |
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Financial safety
tips |
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1.1. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put "PHOTO ID REQUIRED". |
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2.
When you are writing checks
to pay on your credit card accounts, DO NOT put the complete account
number on the "For" line. Instead, just put the last four numbers. The
credit card company knows the rest of the number, and anyone who might be
handling your check as it passes through all the check processing channels
won't have access to it. |
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3. Put your work phone # on
your checks instead of your home phone. If you have a
PO Box use that instead of your home address.
If you do not have a PO Box, use your work address. Never have your SS# printed
on your checks. (DUH!) You can add it if it is necessary. But if you have it
printed, anyone can get it.
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4. Place the contents of
your wallet on a photocopy machine. Do both sides of each license, credit
card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the
account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel. Keep the photocopy
in a safe place. I also carry a photocopy of my passport when I travel
either here or abroad. We've all heard horror stories about fraud that's
committed on us in stealing a name, address, Social Security number,
credit cards.
Unfortunately, I, (the
author, A LAWYER) have firsthand knowledge because my wallet was stolen
last month. Within a week, the thieve(s) ordered an expensive monthly
cell phone package, applied for a VISA credit card, had a credit line approved
to buy a Gateway computer, received a PIN number from DMV to change my driving
record information online, and more. But here's some critical information to
limit the damage in case this happens to you or someone you know:
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5. We have been told we should cancel our credit cards immediately. But the key
is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to
call. Keep those where you can find them. |
6. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where your credit
cards, etc., were stolen. This proves to credit providers you were diligent, and
this is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one).
But here's what is perhaps most important of all: (I never even thought to do
this.) |
7. Call the 3 national
credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your
name and also call the Social Security fraud line number I had never heard
of doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me an
application for credit was made over the Internet in my name. The alert
means any company that checks your credit knows your information was
stolen, and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit.
By the time I was advised to do this, almost two weeks after the theft, all the
damage had been done. There are records of all the credit checks initiated by
the thieves' purchases, none of which I knew about before placing the alert.
Since then, no additional damage has been done, and the thieves threw my wallet
away this weekend (someone turned it in). It seems to have stopped them dead in
their tracks. |
8. Now, here are the numbers you always need to contact about your wallet, etc.,
has been stolen:
Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
Trans
Union: 1-800-680-7289
Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271 |
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9. Insurance adjusters report that homeowners
have great difficulty remembering their possessions in the event of a
fire, flood, tornado etc. How many dresses, pairs of shoes, books,
pictures do you have? How about those collectables? Take pictures of every
room and closet from different angles. If you have paper pictures, put
them in a bank safe deposit box. If your pictures are digital, either burn
them to a disk, or send them to a couple of your children or friends to
store on THEIR computer. Your computer may be destroyed. This could mean
thousands of $$ to you. Think about what else should be in that safe
deposit box, like wills, insurance policies, deeds, surveys, tax returns,
divorce papers and on and on. |
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10.
BUY A SAFE -- NOW!!!
This is not so much for valuables, as for
important papers. Get a fireproof safe (or safe box); they are very
reasonable in price. My late husband bought us 2: one for papers and one
for valuables (he collected watches and coins). In the event of a fire,
a fireproof safe or box can be invaluable.
Give a trusted child or friend the
combination, along with your spouse. (Be sure it's someone you can fully
trust. My dad and I have exchanged ours.) Put all your insurance
policies, copies of your license/car registration, etc., in it.
Anything you think is important,
probably is, so put it in there. Better to have too much info than not
enough! Rivahcat - Virginia
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11.
If you have been scammed for
your money, PLEASE tell someone! Don't feel ashamed. We all
are gullible. If someone has taken you for your cash (be it an
evangelist or a Nigerian prince), TELL SOMEONE. We need to STOP
these people!! Rivahcat - Virginia
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12.
A MUST-DO
PROJECT FOR EVERY SENIOR This is
a project every homeowner and renter should do at least once a year, so
why not do it NOW. After all, you may be in a cold climate where
you can't even watch the grass grow. |
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