Home inventory, antique appraisal, background checks

Today, we must be aware and take actions necessary to safeguard our families. Four key steps in establishing a proper plan that includes: protecting your identity; organizing and managing your critical documents and records; and properly documenting your personal possessions.

Step 1 : Inventory your Home and Possessions

Key Deliverables

Initial Evaluation – A face-to-face meeting to assess your current state of preparedness, and discuss what you would like inventoried. In addition, we will discuss any specific appraisals you may need.

Physical Inventory – A room-by-room detailed inventory with digital photographs. The inventory will include; a description, and other information necessary to properly classify each item; market values; optional replacement values. Upon completion of the physical inventory, we will annotate any warranty, appraisal, or related receipt information to the respective item. In addition, a notation will be made if an item is on an insurance policy schedule, has a warranty or receipt.

Portfolio and Documentation – A printed spreadsheet inventory and related pictures in a portfolio folder, including a CD ROM with all information and pictures.

Client Requirement: The Home Owner must be present at the time of inventory for safety reasons and to assist in assigning their estimated value to the selected items.

Service Notes: The Inventory Service and Update Service does not include a “Professional Appraisal" of any item(s).

Tumbling

*Inventories now include Valuations of items.

Step 2 : Have your Valuables Professionally Appraised

Professional Appraisals on items such as:

Antiques, Fine Art and Paintings
Collections - stamps, coins, dolls, Civil war Memorabilia.
Business Valuations, Yellow metal & heavy equipment

This ensures your proof of “value” for reasons such as:

Estates/ Decedent Estates
Probate
Tort Damages
Divorce & Pre-nuptials
Personal property
Business assets
Charitable Donations [IRS]
Update your “scheduled items” on your Homeowners policy

We follow strict guidelines set by USPAP (Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice) and NAPA (National Association of Professional Appraisers), and adhere to their Standards of Care. We provide a professional report with thoroughly researched items as a comparison to substantiate our valuations of your personal property.

Step 3 : Protecting Your Identity

The first step in establishing a solid personal foundation is to protect your identity. According to the Federal Trade Commission and the FBI, an identity is stolen every 3 seconds. It is the #1 crime in the country. LifeLock New England is an Identity Theft Prevention and Protection system. We actually prevent ID theft, and back it up with a $1million guarantee.

Key Deliverables

Fraud Alerts - We request the credit bureaus set fraud alerts on your behalf. Usually, this is done through our automated systems and the alerts are set within an hour. In addition, we will ask the credit bureaus to update, unless your circumstances change, and you tell us not to, every 90 days or so.

Name Removal - We request that your name be removed from pre-approved credit card and junk mail lists and keep making the requests as they expire. Statistics show that this is one of the most common ways that thieves hijack identities.

Order Free Credit Reports - We order annual free credit reports on your behalf from the major credit bureaus and they are sent directly to you.

Restoring Your Good Name - If your identity is stolen while you are a client, we're going to do whatever it takes to recover your good name. If you need lawyers, we're going to hire the best we can find. If you need investigators, accountants, case managers, whatever, they're yours. If you lose money as a result of the theft, we're goign to give it back to you.

Standing behind our service

Our service guarantee is simple, but it is limited. We will pay up to $1,000,000 to cure the failure or defect in our service, per client, per lifetime for all incidents in the aggregate, regardless of circumstance.

Step 4 : Completing a Personal Critical Document Inventory

Through our personalized hands-on approach, we can enhance your decision making and reduce future paperwork and burden on your loved ones. This ensures that your wishes are clearly identified and understood by your executor/executrix.

Why is management of your critical documents necessary?

A majority of individuals underestimate the overall value of their estate
A majority of individuals overlook pensions and related benefits
Executor/Executrix roles are often assumed and therefore individuals are not adequately prepared to complete the necessary responsibilities
Without organized files and information, the overall process can be overwhelming
Eliminates confusion over final requests and desires
Improved access to key information and documentation will reduce time to finalize estate paperwork and estate related costs
Reduces the burden on loved ones

Key Deliverables

Information Worksheet – A comprehensive worksheet identifies 300 critical areas of information that will help ensure that you have a comprehensive storage and retrieval system. Our worksheet identifies a wide range of areas such as vital records (birth, marriage and death certificates), assets, investments, insurances, medical, employment information, related benefits, union affiliations, mortgage deeds, military service, current bills and financial obligations, pensions, religious information, Wills, Trusts and more.

Consolidated Documentation – We provide you with the necessary data collection forms as well as a personalized portfolio for keeping all your information.

Additional Services Available

Critical Document Management Services

Data Collection Assistance – Provides hands-on consulting assistance to assess your current state of information preparedness, identify and retrieve critical personal information, and/or discuss actions necessary to complete the overall process.

Digital storage & Annual update service - Scanning & burning to CDRW ROM (allows you to add/delete/change) all your critical documents.
Review and make changes to your inventory.

Home Inventory Services

Annual Review and Inventory Update - We will provide a 1 hour face-to-face consultation time to review and updating of your inventory lists for new additions and/or deletions as well as take digital photographs of the related item(s). Finally, we provide a CD ROM that reflects the adjustments recorded.
Video with comments – As an option, we can make a video recording during the inventory process.

Secure Backup and File Storage - For clients that would like to have the added protection, we offer a CD storage capability, which houses the information and scanned in copies of your vital documents. AGS will store a back-up CD ROM in a bank safety deposit box. (Please note that the information will not be stored on a server or any device that is accessible via the internet).

Professional Appraisal Services

Our services now include research of Historical artifacts, Memorabilia and other items you have trouble identifying. We offer "Detective work" that may enhance the value of your item(s).

Ancillary Services by our Professional Partners

Concierge Services
Consignment of assets (furniture, household items etc)
Moving Assistance: Home Staging, Packing and Unpacking

Move management

Disposition of household items/goods
Time Management Consulting
Filing Systems and Paper Management
Closet and Storage System Design and Installation
Estate Sales

Event Planning

Home Inspections