Mountain Views News          Saturday, June 1, 2013

11

THE GOOD LIFE

 Mountain Views News Saturday, June 1, 2013 

HOW TO FIND LOST LIFE-INSURANCE POLICIES

Dear Savvy Senior:

When my father passed away we thought he had 
a life insurance policy, but we haven’t been able to 
track it down. Do you know of any resources that 
might help? Searching Family

Dear Searching:

Lost or forgotten life-insurance policies are actually 
quite common in the U.S. In fact, it’s estimated 
that around $1 billion in benefits from unclaimed life-insurance policies are waiting to be claimed 
by their rightful beneficiaries. 

While unfortunately, there isn’t a national database for tracking down these policies, there are a number 
of strategies and a few new resources that can help your search. Here are several to get you started.

Search records: If your dad died recently, searching through his financial records is a good first step. 
Check his files for a policy, records of premium payments, or bills from an insurer. Also contact his 
employer or former employer benefits administrator, insurance agents, financial planner, accountant, 
attorney or other adviser and ask if they know about a life insurance policy. Also check safe-deposit 
boxes, monitor the mail for premium invoices or whole-life dividend notices, and review old income-
tax returns, looking for interest income from, and interest expenses paid to life-insurance companies.

Contact the insurer: If you suspect that a particular insurer underwrote the policy, contact that carrier’s 
claim office and ask. The more information you have, like your dad’s date of birth and death, 
Social Security number and address, the easier it will be to track down. Contact information of some 
big insurers include: Prudential 800-778-2255; MetLife metlife.com/policyfinder; AIG 800-888-2452; 
Nationwide 800-848-6331; Forethought 800-331-8853; John Hancock johnhancock.com – click on 
“Contact Us” then on “Account Search Request.” 

Get state help: Some state insurance departments have a policy locator service program that can help 
you locate lost life insurance, or offer resources that can help you with your search. To reach your state 
insurance department, see the National Association of Insurance Commissioners website at naic.org 
– click on “States & Jurisdictions Map.”

Search unclaimed property: If your dad died more than a few years ago, benefits may have already 
been turned over to the unclaimed property office of the state where the policy was purchased. Go to 
missingmoney.com, a website of the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators, to 
search records from 38 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. The pull-down menu under 
Links connects you to a map and addresses for unclaimed-property agencies. Or, to find links to each 
state’s unclaimed-property division use unclaimed.org.

If your dad’s name or a potential benefactor’s name produces a hit, you’ll need to prove your claim. 
Required documentation, which can vary by state, is detailed in claim forms, and a death certificate 
might be necessary. If you need a copy of your dad’s death certificate, contact the vital records office 
in the state where he died, or go to vitalchek.com.

Tap MIB database: The MIB Group Inc., an insurance membership corporation whose main purpose 
is fighting fraud, offers a policy locator service to help consumers in their searches for life insurance 
policies. This service, however, only tracks applications for individual policies made since 1996. The 
service costs $75, requires an original death certificate to get the ball rolling, and takes about seven to 
10 days to produce a report. To learn more, visit policylocator.com.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor 
to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

SENIOR HAPPENINGS

 
By Pat Birdsall

FYI - THE POSTMAN ALWAYS.....oops, wrong story!

 With all the negative comments made about the post office in the media recently, I thought it was 
time to tell a positive story…As you know; numerous health issues have been plaguing me since the 
beginning of the year. Although it seemed unlikely to me, at the time, the occasional ray of sunshine 
does appear. In my case, it took the form of my letter carrier, Frank Rubio. Frank rang my doorbell 
one morning and said that he had noticed I hadn’t picked up my mail the previous day and since he 
knew I was recovering from surgery, wanted to make sure I was alright. At that moment, I didn’t feel 
like the Lone Ranger anymore…someone did notice. It was truly a “feel good” moment for me and 
quite frankly, a positive gesture for all the seniors in our community. 

 The post office is missing a golden opportunity to combat the negative press and it is right under 
their collective noses…it’s their employees! There would be no need to spend money on a PR firm 
to do damage control because the employees are already on the payroll working in every state of the 
country. I’m talking about hundreds and hundreds of potential goodwill ambassadors. Frank Rubio 
is the essence of the title…you always know when he’s working a route because drivers honk their 
greetings to him…He always has a wave and a ready smile for all which makes him accessible and a 
most pleasant addition to everyone’s day. Thank you, Frank!

* Next week an article about the underused Carrier Alert System.

HELPFUL HINT: Fill plastic water bottles a quarter of the way full and lay on the sides 
and put in the freezer. This way when frozen you can fill with water and have ice cold water on the go.

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FOR YOUR FUNNY BONE 

 After happily dating her boyfriend for almost five years, the woman thought she’d been extremely 
patient waiting for him to propose. One night, they ordered takeout Chinese food. Her boyfriend 
asked, “So how do want your rice—plain or fried?” “Since you asked,” she said, seeing her chance, 
“thrown.”

 ~ ~ ~

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! … June Birthdays

Nellie Haynes, Dorothy McKay, George Enyedi, Theresa Daley, Ann Dugerian, Marilyn 
McKernan, Pat Fujiwara, John Shier, Beth Smith-Kellock, Mary Carney, Ann Disbrow, Joan 
Ellison, Ruth Kirby, Irene Kudirka, Anne Montgomery, Trini Ornelas, Martha Spriggs, Pat Starkey, 
Kathleen Coyne, Suzanne Decker, Halcyon Koerber, Jacque Persing and Jeanne Peterson and Grace 
Sanders.

* To add your name to this distinguished list, please call the paper at 626.355.2737. YEAR of birth 
not required.

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Quote of the Week: 

 In summer, the song sings itself. ~William Carlos Williams

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ACTIVITIES: Unless listed differently, all activities are at the Hart Park 
House (Senior Center) 222 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre

 

 YMCA San Gabriel Valley Intervale Senior Café: Monday-Friday at 12:00 Noon 

(Participants are urged to arrive no later than 11:45 A.M.) 

 All seniors 60 and up can take part in the lunch program. There is a suggested donation of $2.00 
for those 60 and over and $3.75 for non-senior guests. Daily reservations are necessary as space is 
limited. Please call 24 hours in advance...626.355.0256

Free Blood Pressure Testing: On the 2nd Tuesday of the month 11:00 am-12:00 pm: A nurse from 
Methodist Hospital, Arcadia volunteers to do the readings. No appointment necessary.

 

Bingo: Every Tuesday afternoon from 1:00 pm- 3:00 pm Cards are only .25c each! 

Free Legal Consultation: Pasadena attorney Geoffrey Chin volunteers on the 2nd Wednesday of 
the month. He focuses on estate planning, trusts, wills, probate, conservatorships and business law. 
*Appointments are a must! Please call: 626.355.7394 to make yours* Conflicting court schedules 
can occasionally cause cancellations.

Birthday Celebrations: The 2nd Thursday of the month the Senior Center celebrates the birthdays 
of our patrons at 12:30 pm. Please join us for free cake and ice cream and “celebration.” (The cakes 
are provided due to a generous donation from the Sierra Madre Civic Club.)

Game Day: Every Thursday at 1:00pm. Poker is usually the game of choice, or should I say chance? 
Board games and other card games are also available. Outside, on the patio, a beautiful, one-of-a-
kind chess table is anxious for players.

Free Strength Training Class: Every Friday from 1:00 pm -1:45 pm Conducted by long-time 
volunteer, Lisa Brandley. The class utilizes light weights for low-impact resistance training. Weights 
are provided by the Sierra Madre Senior Center. It’s a great way to stay in shape and to

 socialize with your peers. 

Senior Citizens Club: Every Saturday at the Hart Park House (Senior Center). Brown bag lunch at 
11:30am; Club meeting at Noon; Bingo 12:30- 3:30 pm. Only .25c per card… For more information 
call Pat Birdsall at 626.355.7290.

Lunch & Learn: Wednesday, May 27, 12:15 to 1:00 PM

“Brain Building Activities are Fun!”- This seminar takes a brief look at the causes of memory loss 
and then explores the array of activities that bolster mental acuity. The discussion will include why 
crosswords, dancing, learning languages and playing board games (among other fun activities) 
are so good for individuals. Facilitated by Jackie Stahl, Community liaison for Comforcare Senior 
Services in Pasadena. For lunch reservations please call the Intervale Senior Café at (626) 355-0256 
at least 24hours in advance, or bring your own lunch to enjoy.

UPCOMING EXCURSIONS:

Save the Dates!

Friday, June 28, 2013- Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA)

Friday, July 12, 2013- Pageant of the Masters (evening excursion)

*Registering for Excursions can be done in person at the Hart Park House Senior Center and the 
Community Recreation Center or online at www.cityofsierramadre.com Cash, checks, and credit 
cards are accepted. Make checks payable “City of Sierra Madre”. Payment must be made at the time 
of reservation.

 

Senior Movie Program: FREE movies are chosen by the seniors themselves and shown on the 
1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month in Sierra Madre’s City Council Chambers, 232 W. Sierra Madre 
Blvd., Sierra Madre. ~ Start time is 1:00pm ~


RETIREMENT

 Retirement, it’s a dream you look forward to in your first year at the job. Thirty-
some years later, you either embrace it as freedom to do all the things you couldn’t 
get around to when you were working; or, you wonder how you’ll fill those 40 extra 
hours every week. But before you enter retirement, you must go through at least 
one retirement party.

 My friends and relatives in education all approach retirement very differently. Some like their 
coworkers to get up and make speeches about all their dedicated years of service and the positive 
impact they’ve made in so many lives. These people usually also have slideshows with “Thanks for 
the Memories” playing. All their younger coworkers can see them as they were in their 20’s. You 
know behind their self-controlled smiles they’ve got to be thinking “Wow! He was skinny once!” 
“That’s what she looks like without wrinkles!” Some retirees 
like that sort of sentiment, but to me those kinds of events 
almost take on a funereal tone. One of my friends said a 
coworker actually told her, “You know, retirement is the last 
step before death.” Talk about giving someone a nice send 
off!

 I think my mom’s retirement festivities were best. Another 
teacher was retiring that same year, so she wasn’t alone in 
the spotlight. Before her coworkers could buy some sappy 
thing like a ceramic figurine of a student holding out an 
apple for his teacher, she sent out a memo that, if they were 
going to buy her anything, she’d most appreciate something 
from Village Spinning & Weaving Shop, a very popular store 
among fiber nuts. She also requested that her party be held 
at the local BJ’s. That might seem irrelevant, but by choosing 
a noisy sports bar, no one could speak above the din to give 
any teary eyed speeches.

 The best part of my mom’s retirement (other than retiring 
itself!) was her musical send off performed by the entire 
student body. Every year, my mom read her kids “The 
Wizard of Oz.” Over time she developed more and more 
“Oz” materials and activities, such as the annual End-of-the-year Oz party. Now, no Oz party would 
be complete without a lot of green food (think green frosted cupcakes and Mountain Dew) and my 
mom’s signature green spectacles she helped the kids put together.

 So, on her last day of school she was pleasantly surprised when all the students serenaded her with 
a peppy rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” all wearing green spectacles! Two years into 
her retirement, my mom is the model retired person. She’s busier now than she every was working, 
hiking around town with my dad, spinning twice a week (as in with a spinning wheel, not at the gym), 
gardening, and doing a host of other fun things that got lost in the shuffle while she was working. 
God has brought her safely through so many challenges, and has now blessed her with a wonderful 
retirement with my dad! It’s not Biblical, but I think He inspired Harold Arlen to write “And the 
dreams that you dare to dream really do come true!”