Important documents prove the occurrence of certain events and are used to document financial transactions. You may need them at various times in your life. For example, a birth certificate is used to verify age at the start of school, to obtain a driver’s license, or to apply for social security benefits. Relatives also need it to obtain a death certificate. Financial records are the key to your financial situation, they are essential to help you save money on income taxes, and they provide an indication of your financial progress during life.
A systematic plan to keep track of important documents can save you hours of anxious searching for lost items. It can also help you reduce the number of minor documents cluttering your home.
Valuable documents can be classified into two types: those that are needed for daily use and those that are occasionally needed. Examples of frequently used valuable documents include a driver’s license, credit cards, health insurance card, bank account records, identity document, and special health documentation, such as indicating allergies, disabling conditions and blood type. Examples of documents that are occasionally used include birth, marriage and death certificates; leases; contracts; insurance policies; military documents; divorce documents; social security records; and wills.
Look for storage facilities offered by companies in your area. In Australia, one of the largest storage providers is Kennards Self Storage. The company has a complete catalog of storage solutions of all kinds. Customers only have to pay for the time they rent, it is easy, flexible, and simple to sign up and get started.
It is important to carefully store valuable documents that would be difficult to replace or take a long time. These include documents such as original birth and marriage certificates and property titles. Ideally, keep these difficult-to-replace documents in a secure place. Kennards Self storage offer personal deposit boxes, to store those valuable and treasured belongings discreetly and conveniently. Other important records can be filed at home or carried in the purse or bag. These records and documents are necessary for identification purposes or for emergency medical treatment.
Regardless of how records are stored, it is important to archive and review documents on a regular basis. Making the decision of when to get rid of old files is often difficult.
Due to the danger of identity theft, consider destroying documents you decide are out of date. It is important to securely destroy or incinerate documents that contain your name, address, social security number, credit or debit card numbers, or other confidential financial information.
Having your important documents organized and accessible can help you in many ways. By meeting with an attorney or financial advisor, you can prepare for the discussion and perhaps lower the total cost of the consultation. If something happens to you, it allows a loved one or a trusted designee to easily locate undetermined legal and health care powers, insurance policies, medical records, estate plans, and unpaid bills.
No matter where you live, there are always risks of fire, flood, and other disasters, and both your home and your important documents can be completely destroyed. Prepare to minimize the impact. Have a ready-to-carry backpack, purse, box or emergency bucket on hand, or an electronic storage device (USB drive) for imminent use.
This emergency package should contain hard copies or electronic images of important documents so that you can take it quickly to an evacuation: credit and bank information; driver’s licenses; birth certificates; insurance information, including medical, health, auto, and home insurance; important medical information, such as medication and immunization records; personal property inventory with photos or videos; list of user names and passwords for Internet access accounts. It is also recommended to have an additional set of keys for your car, home or safe.
