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Have you ever looked at an important document and, while looking for it, feeling anxious and stressed, you ask yourself, "Where did I put that paper? I can't believe I can't find it! I need to organize these documents and keep them in a safe (Affiliate Link) place!" And, after the situation passes, you never get around to gathering the relevant essential documents to keep because it would take too much time or energy.
Jump to:
- Personal documents to keep in a safe place
- Adoption paperwork
- Auto/Truck titles
- Birth Certificate
- Current deeds and mortgage
- Current insurance policies (life, home, renter, auto, etc...)
- Death Certificate
- Divorce Decrees
- Relevant medical paperwork
- Lease paperwork
- Marriage license
- Military paperwork
- Naturalization/Citizenship paperwork
- Old Drivers License
- Passports (old and new)
- Patents and copyrights
- Social Security cards
- Social Security Statements for Retirement
- Stocks and bond certificates
- Tax returns
- Wills (living will, power of attorney, etc.)
- Who should know where my important documents are?
- Where to store these important documents?
In a recent Caring.com study, 58% of American adults admitted to not creating a will or living trust. Read more about the staggering stats. By putting all these important documents together, you can see what you have and don't. As a result, it will quickly know the missing document tasks.
Below is a list of important documents and images to guide you.
Personal documents to keep in a safe place
Here are the documents you need to keep indefinitely:
Adoption paperwork
The adoption paperwork is essential to keep for your children. They may want to know the place and other information when they are adults.
Auto/Truck titles
When you purchase a vehicle, you should always keep this title paperwork in a safe (Affiliate Link) place. You will need it when you sell or trade in your vehicle for a new one.
Birth Certificate
While you can get a copy of your birth certificate, it will take some time. So, keeping this paper safe (Affiliate Link) will have it as a supporting document if you need it to prove who you are.
Current deeds and mortgage
Your deed comes when you pay off your mortgage. However, the current mortgage paperwork should be kept in a safe (Affiliate Link) place, so it is handy if you want to refinance or need information about your mortgage.
Current insurance policies (life, home, renter, auto, etc...)
You will need to change these current insurance policies from the old ones every six months or a year.
Death Certificate
If you have someone who has died in your household, keeping their death certificate handy, especially right after they passed, will make it easy to find if you need to send it to someone to close an account.
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Divorce Decrees
If you had a divorce, keep these papers safe (Affiliate Link); this will be important if you have to dispute charges from your ex.
Relevant medical paperwork
If you have major surgery and many bills, keep them all until everything is paid or rectified.
Lease paperwork
Car or equipment lease paperwork should be kept to ensure you know the end of the lease period and the additional costs you need to pay when you turn the item in.
Marriage license
Military paperwork
Naturalization/Citizenship paperwork
These papers should be left in physical paper form. If you lose them, you must pay to get a new one.
Old Drivers License
Only keep the most recent old one. This will help your DMV if you lose your current passport.
Passports (old and new)
Only keep one old passport for each family member who has a passport.
Patents and copyrights
If you have any patents or copyright documents, you should keep them in a safe (Affiliate Link) place for easy access if you need them.
Social Security cards
It's not easy to get a new social security card. Make sure your card is the current version. It's free to get this replaced. Visit the Social Security Administration website for more information.
Social Security Statements for Retirement
It's important to know what the Social Security Administration has been reporting as your income over the years, so it's important to get this document and update it every year. Visit MySocialSecurity.gov for more information and to set up an account.
Stocks and bond certificates
You should keep any purchased stocks and bond paperwork you may have in this secure place so you can turn it in or sell it later.
Tax returns
Some tax returns are digital and available, but it's best to keep a paper copy of the current year for reference. It can either be in a safe (Affiliate Link) or in a clear bin. For future reference, make sure you know where it is located. These tax returns should also be included in the supporting documents.
Wills (living will, power of attorney, etc.)
Lastly, any wills you may have should be clearly labeled and available to family members who need them.
The image below also shares this list. Feel free to share it with your family and friends. It's a delicate way to remind them to take care of tasks.
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Who should know where my important documents are?
If you have no family member, any close family member or friend should know where all these documents are located. Your designated power of attorney should also know where these documents are and how to get them.
If you place them in a bank safe (Affiliate Link), be sure to give the person who is responsible for them access to them after you are gone. Usually, they need to go to the bank with you so the bank can add that person to the account.
Where to store these important documents?
These documents should be stored indefinitely in a safe (Affiliate Link) and dry place, such as a bank’s safe (Affiliate Link) deposit box or a fireproof safe (Affiliate Link) in your home.
If you wish to file it in a safe (Affiliate Link) deposit box, get a box big enough to fit a file accordion folder (Affiliate Link). This way, you can add the organized papers to the accordion folder (Affiliate Link) and store the entire folder in the safe (Affiliate Link) deposit box. A smaller plastic one with a lot of tabs (Affiliate Link) works nicely. (The links below are from Amazon, and I will receive a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.)
Fireproof Document Box with Lock, File Organizer
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Fireproof Safe Box with Key Lock
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If you don't wish to spend the money on a safe (Affiliate Link) deposit box, you can purchase a safe (Affiliate Link) to store these documents.
Visit our DIY post that shows you how to organize important documents in a fireproof safe.
In this fireproof safe (Affiliate Link), you can also add expandable pocket folders. It keeps things organized without using hanging folders that may break over time. See these images from Amazon Associates below for an example:
Pocket File Jackets, Lined for Notes, Letter Size, 2” Expansion, Top Tab, Assorted Colors – 25 Pack
Buy Now →(Affiliate Link)
Please note these are affiliate links through Amazon, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn affiliate fees if you decide to make a purchase.
Make it a priority to gather and know where these items are so that later when you need them, you will be able to find them quickly. I have many clients who can't find relevant documents, and they have to pay to replace them or go without the documents. Spending a little time gathering all these documents will save you money and time, not only for you but also for other family members when they need to find them after you are gone.
If you are looking for more information about how to organize long-term files, check out this post. Tips for Organizing Long-Term Files
If you want to read more on the topic, visit these posts below:
Record Keeping
How long should I keep records?
What Documents Should I Shred and What Should I Keep?
How Long to Keep Tax Records and Other Documents
Below are some more money management posts! Feel free to check them out for more helpful information.
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