Important Document Organization Can Save Time, Money and Grief

Consumer Reports’ blog had a great article today about having your documents  organized in case of emergency.  I’m reproducing their included table here and linking to them.  I figure if maybe I link enough times they won’t ask me to remove it.

The  good news is that I already do most of this.  Spending so many y ears as an insurance agent I saw the value in these preparations.   Something I also recommended that I don’t see here is a written and video inventory of your possessions, including as much detail as possible (where bought, how  much paid) expecially for the big ticket items.

TYPE OF STORAGE	DOCUMENT(S)	KEEP A COPY?	WHERE TO STORE DUPLICATE?
SAFE-DEPOSIT BOX	Birth and death certificates; marriage license; adoption, citizenship, divorce papers	Yes	Home file
	Inventory and photos of household property	Yes	Home file
	Deeds, titles, bills of sale, car title, mortgage	Yes	Home file
	List of location of important papers	Yes	Home file
HOME FILE CABINET	Tax returns; supporting documents for past 3 to 7 years	No	–
	Passport	No	–
	Bank-account information	Yes	Friend’s or relative’s home or at your office
	Insurance policies	No	–
	List of all assets, including brokerage and mutual-fund accounts, stocks, bonds, bank accounts, real property, and employee-benefit accounts	Yes	Friend’s or relative’s home or at your office
ATTORNEY’S OFFICE	Will, durable power of attorney	Yes	Home file and executor or personal representative
	Funeral instructions	Yes	Friend or relative
	Living will, health-care power of attorney	Yes	Home file, physician, personal representative
	Location of safe-deposit box	Yes	Joint owner, friend, or relative
WALLET	Driver’s license or other photo I.D.	yes	Home file
	Auto insurance card	Yes	In car
	Emergency contacts	No	–
	Blood type, list of allergies, medications	No	–

I don’t know about you, but I know it would help calm me in the time of an emergency to know that much of the information I need is safe and sound, organized and easily accessible.  And when we lose someone we love our grief is tempered slightly by the knowledge that they cared enough to prepare and make the logistics of dealing with the aftermath as easy as possible.

Go forth and organize!

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