Store Your Important Documents Securely

We should keep our important documents at a secure place so that they do not get destroyed in times of calamities or theft. There are many ways to protect documents that you'd never want to lose. Some people rent a safe deposit box at a bank; others prefer to keep things at home in a fire-resistant safe. Every family or person needs to have a place for important documents and figure out a system for getting organized and protecting important information.


i. Classify your most important documents:

Honestly you should prepare for every type of emergency like a computer crash, natural disaster, or even the unthinkable like death. Make sure to keep a list of all of your important numbers and contacts as well as potential future instructions if family members die. The most essential documents should be stored are: birth certificates, social security and health insurance cards, passports, driver's licenses, immunization records, credit cards, wills, power of attorney, insurance policies, bank account numbers, bank locations, computer passwords, etc. You should also really list the names and full contact information of your lawyer, accountant, brokers, and any other professional involved in your family's affairs.

ii. Scan paper documents:
Keeping scanned copies of financial documents and receipts for tax deductions will help protect your financial information from being damaged and lost or misplaced. Storing documents digitally also allows an added level of protection if you choose to encrypt your files.

iii. Keep things up to date:
Archiving your assets and other important documents should be a practice that becomes a regular habit.