Where do you keep your {adopted} child's important paperwork?

Question

You know the items that you have that are really irreplaceable?

Right now I keep my sons paperwork in a fire and waterproof briefcase at home. Would a safety deposit box be safer? These documents cannot be replaced-- how "safe" are safety deposit boxes?

Answer 1

We have scanned copies, hard copies in our fireproof safe, originals (one set) in safe deposit box and another complete set (with color copies in the case of 2 documents that we only have one original) is with our attorney along with our wills, guardianship papers, and proxies - in case anything should happen to either or both of us. Our attorney is also our Executor and knows all of our wishes and who will care for our children in that unlikely event.  Our children's original paperwork is irreplaceable because it is from another country - though we have taken the trouble to insure that we have American Documents which can be replaced.

The reason for the copies at our attorney's office is that sometimes it can take a few days to get things out of a safe deposit box if the worst happens and this way - we make sure our children will be immediately given over to their new legal guardians with out a hassle.

Answer 2

Ours is in a safety deposit box in a cedar chest.  I also have scanned them and have them on a thumb drive.

Answer 3

  A safety deposit box at your bank would be the safest place. Any important papers should be there.

Answer 4

Since most of my daughters paperwork cannot be replaced we keep it in a safe deposit box in the bank.  She has no birth certificate so all we have are the original court papers from India, her Indian guardianship papers, her citizenship papers and original passport are all there. We have certified copies of it all at home with us as well as her original citizenship ID card but the other originals are kept safe.  

As far as how safe they are?  I figure, if they are locked in a bank vault, with an alarm system for both theft and fire, inside of a sealed container....thats about as safe as they could get.  Even in a fire and waterproof briefcase at home someone could still walk off with them.  Your call though, just keep these things as safe as you can.

Answer 5

We have scanned copies of everything on DVD and our paperwork is in a fireproof safe.  We also scanned everything and sent it to our agency (which has been around for 50+ years) so they also have a copy as well.

Answer 6

I would say they're about as safe as they are in your home. Just remember- you go on vacation and leave the house unattended. The banks don't.

And if someone entered your house to rob it the odds of them stealing something that's yours is 100%. At the bank there is a lot of people's stuff. The odds of them taking yours is significantly lowered.

Answer 7

well, my friend, you should keep them in a safe but non-conspicuous place because if a robber(or jealous ex-spouse) were to come to your house it doesn't matter how safe a security deposit box...or a safe is...that person is gonna find it and take it...maybe a sock drawer?? unless your jealous ex-spouse want mementos of your clothing...in that case he may find the adoption papers.....what you should do is put yourself mentally in the perpetrator who could take your adoption papers or socks and think where would i look...and do the opposite

Answer 8

I keep a certified copy of my son's adoption record in the following places:  1:  safety deposit box  2:  fireproof safe at home, and 3: At my grandma's house, in her safe, in case of a natural disaster where we live.  Also, I had the attorney keep one of them.  Remember, although the adoption decree can't be replaced, his birth certificate can, as well as social security card.

Answer 9

In my wife's bra.

And as for your other question about why it's ok to laugh at adoptive parents but not birth parents ( says it's deleted, so I thought I'd answer here), that's like asking "why is it ok to laugh at a person who paid a prostitute for s*x, but it's not ok to laugh at a rape victim?"

Answer 10

how "safe" are safety deposit boxes?

Hopefully safer than whatever the state keeps the records in. 3 out of 4 adoptees are told their OBCs and adoption records have been burned in fires and lost in floods. I had no idea there were so many floods in vital records offices in the past 50 years. ( rolls eyes )

Answer 11

Definitely a safety deposit box.  A small one should cost no more than $50 for the whole year in a bank.

Answer 12

We keep ours in a safe deposit box at our bank.  When I was young, we had a fire at my parents house.  I can attest to the fact hat a fire proof box only holds up to a certain temperature...after that it gets flat as a pancake!

Answer 13

The cheapest and safest place to keep important papers in your home is the refrigerator.

Contents of them will not burn in a fire. Stick them down in the crisper drawers at the bottom. Its not secure as far as theft or confidentiality but if you are not worried about that and you are the only one opening your frig then put them there. No need to pay for a safety deposit box or buy a fire proof safe.

No one is going to steal paperwork with no value to them so theft shouldnt be a factor. If a robber is in your home then they are looking for money, jewerly, and electronics. Not adoption papers, mortgage papers, birth certificates, etc.

Answer 14

We use a safe deposit box to store all of our important documents. I also have given legally binding copies of "certain" documents to my child's guardian.

Answer 15

Yeah, I would say a safe deposit box is the best idea, that way it wont get damaged (as long as you seal them in a water proof and air proof bag) and nobody can see them by accident. not sure how much the rent on those things is though.

Answer 16

We keep our daughter's (and soon our son's) papers in a safety deposit box at the bank. We also have a scanned copy.

Answer 17

I don't have an adopted child but I keep my important papers in a fire proof safe.  My grandparents have used safety deposit boxes for years and have never had any problems with them.  I think they are safe just a little inconvenient if you need your papers during hours the bank isn't open.

Answer 18

why? are you trying to steal his identity?