How to get certified copies of vital records
AARP, May 11, 2018
En español | Being a family caregiver requires
both the left and right sides of the brain — the logical and the imaginative,
but you’ll save yourself time and stress if you start the job with a left-side
project. Find, replace and organize the documents you’ll almost certainly need
in the course of care.
One job, two parts:
l. Find or replace care recipient’s life
documents.
II. Make sure advance directives and powers of
attorney are completed.
Part I - Find
or replace government-issued certificates, records and decrees.
A single passport can carry you around the
world, but the caregiving journey can require the documents your loved one
began accruing on the first day of life. Why? Different situations require
different documents. A marriage license may be needed to claim spousal pension benefits. Divorce papers to
ensure an ex is not an automatic beneficiary. Military service records entitle
a soldier to veterans benefits.
Step 1
Begin the search by asking the person in your
care, “Where do you keep your important papers?”
If the answer is “at home,” but your loved one
can’t recall exactly where, launch a scavenger hunt. Remember that people tend
to put important papers in places they view as important — desk drawers, a file
cabinet, a particular box, a family bible. Some store them with other rarely
needed belongings. Check the attic, basement, closet shelves.
If the answer is, “in a safe-deposit box,”
take your loved one, and the safe-deposit box key, to the bank.
·
Inventory and record
the contents together. Take this list with you.
·
The box holder should add a trusted second person to the account.
The assigned person can then deposit and retrieve contents. Should your loved
one die without a second name on the account, state law may require a court
order or a certified death certificate to open the box before probate is
completed.
·
Do not leave funeral
instructions or a cemetery plot deed in the safe-deposit box.
Step 2
Find or replace legal records and
certificates. Click on each applicable, missing document below to order
a certified copy or replacement card.
Do this now so you will have them when you
need them. Processing can take several weeks.
·
Medicaid card – Go here
to find your local Medicaid contacts. Click on state. Follow instructions.
·
Military records, ID and discharge
papers. Go here to get instructions and Standard Form (SF)180 to
request military records.
Birth, death, marriage and divorce
certificates are on file in the state in which the event happened. The charge
for the service varies by state. Go here to find
your state/county Office of Vital Records and order a certified copy
of a:
·
Birth certificate
·
Marriage certificate
·
Divorce certificate
·
Death certificate
Part II –
Secure advance directives.
Make sure these must-haves are signed and
reflect your loved one’s current wishes.
·
Medical power of
attorney (MPOA)
Go to AARP’s advance directive forms and click on
the state in which your loved one resides for living will and medical power of
attorney forms. In some states both legal directives are combined into one
form.
The person for whom you are caring should
assign a trusted relative or friend — and an alternate — to serve as financial
representative. The assigned person can pay bills and make specific purchases.
If there is not enough money to cover living expenses, the person is in a
position to help the care recipient apply for government assistance such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP).
When assigning financial power of attorney, it
is best to consult a lawyer or legal aid services.
What’s left? Organize your loved one’s financial records and current
finances. It will make your life easier. We promise.
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