File Forms To Replace Lost Savings Bonds

Anyone whose U.S. Savings Bonds have been lost, stolen or destroyed should apply to the government to have the bonds reissued, said Sheila E. Nelson, spokeswoman for the Bureau of the Public Debt in Washington, which administers the savings bond program.

If all goes well, the government will replace your lost, stolen or destroyed bonds, at no cost to you.

To apply, you must complete a claim form. The form’s code is: PD F 1048.

To get a copy of the form, ask your local bank, or write: Bureau of the Public Debt, Savings Bond Operations Office, Parkersburg, West Virginia 26106-1328.

You may also call the operations office at 1-304-480-6112 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EDT business days. (This is a toll call from most parts of the country.)

Whether you call or write, be sure to ask for the form by code. The title of the form is, “Application for Relief on Account of Loss, Theft or Destruction of United States Savings and Retirement Securities.”

The form itself is even longer than the title. But it includes detailed instructions on what information you must provide, and where you must mail the completed form.

In general, you must give the government as much information as possible about the bonds in question.

To help, try to keep a record of your savings bonds, by serial number, in a safe place, separate from the bonds themselves.

Home buying workshop offered

Marco Begovich of Directors Mortgage will lead a workshop on “Home Buying in Today’s Market” Tuesday at Consumer Credit Counseling of Spokane.

The workshop will be an overview of the process of purchasing a home, from choosing the right one to knowing what to expect in the closing process.

Participants will get a workbook that will help them analyze their budget and answer questions about credit.

The cost is $20, with no charge for spouses. The class begins at 6:30 p.m. and ends at 9 p.m. in the organization’s headquarters at N1912 Division.

For information and reservations, call 327-3777, or 1-800-892-6854.

S&P lists promising stocks

Looking for smaller stocks with strong earnings growth at decent prices? Even in this market, such things exist. Researchers at Standard & Poor’s Corp. have found 19 and listed them in the firm’s Investor’s Monthly newsletter. Here are some standouts, none in the overheated high-tech sector and all with priceearnings ratios - based on 1996 estimates - of 10 or less:

Chesapeake Corp.; Eaton Vance Corp.; Integrated Health Services Inc.; Lennar Corp.; MacFrugals Bargains Close-Outs Inc.; and Vigoro Corp.

, DataTimes