| Living life creates a paper trail. From birth | | | | Why is this necessary? |
| certificates to car insurance to marriage records | | | | After looking at the extensive list of documents |
| and name change documents, a person's life can | | | | that should be securely saved, many need to be |
| be summarized by the important documents | | | | reminded exactly why this is an important |
| they've amassed. Keeping these documents both | | | | organizational project. |
| secure and easily accessible is very important, but | | | | If the house is on fire, knowing exactly where to |
| is often seen as a daunting task. | | | | grab important documents, if there's time to |
| When faced with mounds of paperwork that | | | | rescue any household items, can make the |
| must be sorted in order to identify which | | | | aftermath much easier. Alternately, if the |
| documents are deemed "important," people tend | | | | documents have been stored in a fireproof safe, |
| to freeze, push the papers back into the drawer, | | | | they'll be one less thing to have to worry about |
| closet or box they came out of, and leave the | | | | rescuing. On a day to day basis, an organized |
| project for another day. By the time that day | | | | system can help save time; bank and property |
| finally comes, the papers seem to have multiplied. | | | | statements will be easy to locate at tax time and |
| In the ensuing whirlwind of sorting through, it's | | | | birth certificates easy to lay hands on during |
| easy for some to mistakenly end up in the trash, | | | | sports registration periods, for example. In the |
| which could lead to serious problems. | | | | event of a death, family members won't have to |
| The documents might be needed for identification, | | | | wonder where the deceased could have hidden a |
| medical history, financial issues and property or | | | | will, but will find it easily. |
| estate management. While they aren't needed too | | | | From a more sinister viewpoint, it's important to |
| frequently, most find that when they are | | | | know where your documents are to be sure that |
| necessary, locating them quickly is usually | | | | no one else has managed to steal them. Identity |
| important. Breaking the project down into a few | | | | theft, a ballooning problem in today's society, |
| easy steps will make it seem much more | | | | often occurs when thieves are armed with just |
| manageable. | | | | the sort of personal information listed above. A |
| First, decide what documents you want to store. | | | | secure, organized system will make the chances |
| Consider the following: | | | | of a birth certificate being discarded much less |
| - Personal: birth certificates, marriage records, | | | | likely, and will make it easier to realize if anything |
| divorce records, social security cards, education | | | | has gone missing. |
| records, military records, medical records | | | | Where to find official copies of important personal |
| - Family: social security cards, education records, | | | | documents? |
| medical records, genealogy records, death | | | | If key vital documents, like birth, death, marriage |
| certificates | | | | or divorce certificates, are missing from the now |
| - Financial: Tax returns, bank statements, stock | | | | organized files, it's easy to locate them quickly by |
| certificates, savings bonds | | | | purchasing them through a reliable online service |
| - Home: Closing docs, loan docs, home warranties, | | | | vital record agencies. Good luck with storing your |
| home insurance, homestead docs, car titles | | | | important personal records. Remember, when |
| - Estate: Life insurance, real estate deeds, | | | | broken down into a few simple steps, this task |
| collectibles, wills | | | | becomes much more manageable. |