After high school, it's now up to you to manage your life. There are certain documents that your parents should have, but now need to be in your possession. Documents such as your birth certificate, Social Security card, driver's license, and insurance cards are needed for everything from securing a first apartment to becoming legally employed.
Keep your birth certificate, social security card, and copies of your driver's license and insurance information in a safe place. Other than your insurance cards and driver's licenses, the originals should never be carried daily in your wallet or purse. A safe place is a folder in a filing box, in a marked envelope in a desk, or some other stationary location with a small level of protection against bending and wear. Otherwise, you are just inviting identity theft.
Birth Certificate
A birth certificate is a vital piece of information; it proves your citizenship. With a government-issued photo I.D., a birth certificate acts as a second form of identification for passports, marriage licenses, voter registration, and many other official actions. States issue birth certificates, and each looks slightly different. If your parents cannot locate your birth certificate, request a copy from your state's Vital Records department. If you were born in a hospital, you have a birth certificate on file. In the remote situation you do not have a birth certificate on file with your state of birth, the Vital Records department can also direct you to the procedure of creating a certificate of live birth. http://vitalrec.com/birthcertificates/
Social Security Card
Memorize your social security number (SSN). Originally, this number was set up by the U.S. Government strictly for retirement purposes. Because it is unique to every U.S. citizen, the uses of the social security number soared. Now, you use your social security number to verify your identity in banking, on credit applications, for taxes, military service, and businesses can request your SSN to create a unique identifier for your account.
Second to knowing your social security number forwards, backwards, and in your sleep, is actually possessing the card. A social security card is a thin paper card that you may not laminate. There are very few occasions you need to produce the actual card, so it does no good to carry it around daily. If your social security card is lost, visit http://www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/ for help.
Driver's License/ State I.D.
This is the one vital piece of identification that breaks the rules: carry it with you ALWAYS. If you go running, find someplace it can tuck into. A driver's license is a universal form of identification anywhere you go in the United States. Like birth certificates, driver's licenses are issued by each state and look different. If you can't qualify for a driver's license, obtain a state I.D. card. They are also issued at your local DMV. Both state I.D. cards and driver's licenses require the above official documentation to obtain. For replacement cards, visit your local DMV http://www.dmv-department-of-motor-vehicles.com/.
Insurance Cards
The two primary forms of insurance are car and medical insurance. You need your car insurance information anytime you are in your vehicle. In the event of an accident, or pull over, you will need to share this information with authorities.
Medical insurance cards are important for you to see a doctor, to fill a prescription, or in the event of an emergency. Medical insurance cards are improving everyday, some insurers offer cards that include medical history information for the patient. This includes information such as existing conditions, allergies, and previous medical problems. As emergency medicine improves in technology, EMTs and doctors can scan these medical insurance cards for quick patient history, even if the patient is unconscious.
Contact your insurance provider for new copies of your insurance cards if you do not have them, or if your parents would like to hold onto to a copy as well.
