HUNTERDON COUNTY SURROGATE'S COURT SPRING 2003 UPDATE Dear Residents: Welcome to Spring...and the Spring UPDATE 2003! This edition is chock-full information, from the hobby-interest of researching family and local history, to a newsflash on health, & the latest scams. Also, what to expect from what we knew as the “NJ Department of Motor Vehicles.” Sincerely, Susan J. Hoffman Comments or questions, please ontact me or my staff. By phone: (908) 788-1156 By e-mail: surrogate@co.hunterdon.nj.us Or Visit On the Internet: www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/depts/surrog/message.htm Friendships & Involvement in Community Key to Well Being “Staying connected and productive” help foster good health, the Winter 2002 Senior Care Management newsletter notes (see www.seniorcaremgt.com). “The two strongest predictors of well-being are frequency of visits with friends & frequency of attending organizational meetings.” Hence, the “more often people participate in social relationships, the better their overall health tends to be.” Genealogy The Hunterdon County Library announced its growing collection of archives in which family & local histories can be found. The Heritage Quest Online database contains family & local histories of towns & counties, & can be accessed at the library’s web page: www.hunterdon.lib.nj.us. Another resource, the Ancestry Plus database, can only be accessed at the Route 12 main county library complex. Ancestry Plus “has a full file on census images & files on military records, immigration records, the Social Security Death Index, many city directories & Ancestry World Tree” (Hunterdon County Democrat, January 7, 2003). Microfilms, year- & phone- books & other resources can be located in the main library reference room. Other resources or places to find information Hunterdon Cty. Historical Society: 782-1091 Surrogate’s Court: wills administrations 788-1156 or www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/depts/surrogate/message.htm & Hunterdon County Clerk: mortgages & deeds: 788-1221 or The Cure for Cancer www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/depts/ctyclerk/ctyclrk.htm According to the January 2003 AARP Bulletin, “Last year the Federal Trade Commission (FTC ) turned up hundreds of web sites touting unproven cures or treatments for cancer and other serious diseases.” Consumers are being warned, “Aside from economic harm . . . quack cancer products & therapies may lead people to put off ‘obtaining legitimate treatment at a time when intervention may be most helpful.’” Local Churches: records & gravesites Vital Records (NJ counties): birth, death, & marriage records: (609) 292-4087 or www.vitalrec.com/njcounties.html Hunterdon Cty. Cultural & Heritage Commission: old house searches: 788-1256 or www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/c&h/c&h.htm The Internet can be a useful tool to get ideas or information: see Hunterdon County local libraries for access & assistance as needed. Hear of something suspicious? Report emergencies and anything out of the ordinary to the local police. Police will pass on news of local scams to the Hunterdon County Office on Aging, who will share this with the Elder Law Coalition & the community. Charitable Gift Annuities Sounds like a great idea, but are these solid investments? Just like any other issue, investigate before any purchase. To find out if a charity is registered, has a history of complaints, or if they utilize professional fundraisers: > Call the Charities Hotline: (973) 504-6215, or > Contact the Division of Consumer Affairs at: askconsumeraffairs@lps.state.nj.us Fast Loans on Tax Refunds Refund anticipation loans (RALs)–a loan equal to a tax refund–can add up to big costs, AARP reports (February 2003 Bulletin). Though not illegal, “RALs carry huge–critics say outrageous–interest rates & fees. ‘They run between 67 percent and 774 percent APR (annual percentage rate).’” A suit was recently settled in NYC, in which the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) filed charges against H&R Block “for violating a city law requiring lender to disclose alternative ways to get tax refunds quickly, such as filing returns online.” The settlement: H&R Block agreed to “pay the 62,000 New Yorkers $4.2 million in restitution. (The money will be paid mostly in the form of vouchers that can be used for services at H&R Block or redeemed.) The company, while not admitting guilt, said in a statement it would offer taxpayer education programs as part of the settlement.” NJ Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) NEWS Governor McGreevey signed the “The Motor Vehicle Security & Customer Service Act” January 28, 2003 that works to address recent past problems at the DMV. This law: 1. ABOLISHES the “DMV” as we know it & establishes the “NJ Motor Vehicle Commission,” which will still register vehicles, distribute drivers licenses, etc. 2. Creates a security surcharge of $7 on all new & re-registering vehicles. These funds are to help bring the current system up to date in terms of technology & security. This cost is said to “sunset” in 10 years. 3. Increases fee $6 for new or renewed licenses: for digitalized picture (whether or not one gets a license with or without a picture). 4. Allows bonds to be issued to pay for further technological advances. 5. Sets all employees of the current DMV system into the State system: pension, pay, titles (& time in) similar to the agencieswhere they have been employed. THIS LAW TRANSLATES INTO: More efficient customer service in office: with new technology the accessiblity will reduce waits. Decreased risk of fraud: digitalized pictures & updated computer systems serve as protections.