Taxation & Estate Planning

When I was a child, and my Nana was still alive, we visited her often.  When we walked up to her door, her mailbox was to the left, and it has a sticker on it that said "Carrier Alert."  After seeing it many times,  I finally asked my mom what it was for.  She explained that it was so that the mail carrier would notice if the mail hadn't been taken in from the day before, and would have someone check on Nana. 

Well, the Carrier Alert program is still around and their website explains how it works: 

1.    Interested postal patrons register to participate in the program. Your local postmaster can give you more details on registration.       2.    Your letter carrier will be authorized to place a Carrier Alert symbol in your mailbox which will alert all letter carriers to watch your mail for any signs of distress such as an unusual accumulation.       3.    If your letter carrier finds an accumulation of mail, and you have not covered the sticker to signal that you will be away for a few days, he or she will notify the agency where you are registered or report your name to the postal supervisor who will report it to the agency.       4.    The social service agency will then try to contact you by phone. If you cannot be reached, the agency personnel will try to contact a friend or relative whom you have listed as a contact in the event of an emergency.       5.    If a friend or a relative cannot be reached, the social service agency will send a worker to your home to check on your health and well-being.

If you or a loved one live alone, consider signing up for the Carrier Alert program, as an additional layer of protection.