Part of deal in managing your personal finances is to keep everything well organized. This means that paperwork is in place and copies of everything are readily accessible. If disaster strikes or some other unfortunate event happens, will you know what to do? Read on and we’ll take a look at some important documents that key to keeping your finances organized.
Financial Statements: Your 401(k), college savings, pension, IRA, and other longer term investment statements should be as readily accessible as your bank savings and checking account statements are. In an emergency, who has the presence of mind to think what should be done next? Not likely you. Have a safe, secure place where all important financial paperwork can be accessed in a moment’s notice. Make certain that account numbers are clearly listed, but don’t list your personal identification number as it could fall into the wrong hands and cause a whole different kind of disaster!
Your Will: You may have a copy of your will and your lawyer another copy. However, if your entire family is wiped out, would they know who your lawyer is? If not, things can get really dicey. Better to make a copy of your will and place it in a safe deposit box or with a trusted relative who can access your information if needed.
Additional Paperwork: Make a list of everything you own or have and leave that list in a place where it can easily be found. This list should include social security numbers, burial plot information, funeral wishes, living wills, your attorney, birth certificates and adoption papers, all of your banking and financial information, your home’s deed, auto deeds, and any other paperwork that can help during a time of crisis.
Some homeowners keep all of their pertinent paperwork in a fireproof box while others make copies of these same papers and leave them with a trusted friend or relative in another city. If you live in a hurricane prone area, such as the Delta region, then having your paperwork at a location far away from the disaster area is wise. That way you can be certain all of your important information isn’t affected while you try to get your life back in order.
No one thinks about a disaster happening but we should. After Hurricane Katrina leveled New Orleans, things were even more complicated for people who had no back up plan in place. Don’t get caught unprepared!
Adam Heist has written many great articles on loan.
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