Now that we have started helping our parents downsize, we will need to assist them with managing their paperwork. Paper management for aging parents is more helpful when they are healthy, but it also benefits them when they are not. So, this paper management process is critical for everyone involved, including your aging parents. This task can be challenging for parents to manage, so here are some tips to help them with paper management.
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- Create an in-bin system for mail that arrives at home.
- Make a Bill-Paying Area.
- Make filing papers an easy process.
- Create a Tax Accordion Folder.
- Create a vital document filing system.
- Why is it important to make effective paper management systems?
- Visit our other posts on the topic of paper management!
Create an in-bin system for mail that arrives at home.
If your parent has trouble keeping track of the mail coming into the home, create a designated area to hold the mail. You can make it easy or as complicated as needed. Be sure to ask your parent what they do when they pick up the mail.
Do they place it on a chair (affiliate)?
Is there a place next to the door to store incoming mail?
Do they place it in their office?
Where is there filing cabinet (affiliate)? Is it in the basement? Can they get to it easily?
Whatever process they use, making a new system that is close to that process will help them apply the further steps easily. Making sure their filing cabinet (affiliate) is near where they will be doing bills helps keep papers from getting lost or misfiled.
We found that because my inlaw did her bills near the kitchen table, having a place to file papers nearby helped her greatly.
Visit our other posts about incoming mail tips and entryway organizing below.
4 WAYS TO ORGANIZE INCOMING PAPER MAIL
WHAT TO KEEP IN YOUR ORGANIZED ENTRYWAY LANDING ZONE
Make a Bill-Paying Area.
Having all the necessary items in a bill-paying area will help them pay their bills quickly and easily. Organizing the pens, papers, checks, etc... will help remind them what to do. Setting up auto payments for credit cards, auto, and mortgage works excellently, and they don't have to do a thing about it. Contact their banks to see what they offer to make your parents' life easier. Here's a checklist (affiliate) I created to help you set up a bill-paying station for your parent. Feel Free to visit the post for more details.
Make filing papers an easy process.
Subdividing and creating a filing system that is too detailed may be an issue for your parent. So, try having them put all their bills in one folder that says, "paid bills." Then, create another folder labeled "Charitable Contributions." And one that says, "Medical." Making the folders contained and with a lid works great too. It can also be portable if you want.
Create a Tax Accordion Folder.
Create a tax accordion folder (affiliate) using tabs (affiliate) that relate to their situation. Keeping the system the same each year will help them find things more accessible as the years go by. Visit our post called "HOW LONG TO KEEP TAX RECORDS AND HOW TO ORGANIZE THEM" for step-by-step instructions to help you set one up for them.
Create a vital document filing system.
Make a system that will hold all their essential documents. Here is a list of necessary documents to help you. Storing these documents in a fireproof safe (affiliate) at home or in a safe (affiliate)-deposit box at the bank works excellent. Note: if you use a safe (affiliate) deposit box, make sure you (as the child) have your signature on file at the bank allowing access to your parent's account. If you are not a signer on the safe (affiliate) deposit account and your parent passes, you will not have access to any papers in the safe (affiliate) deposit box. Read more about what happens here. Click on the image below to visit this image's post.
Why is it important to make effective paper management systems?
Setting up an effective paper management system for your parents can be frustrating but wouldn't you want to be safe (affiliate) than sorry? Here are additional tips for helping your parents with their paper management system.
- Speak calmly with your parent about setting up a new system. No judgment about how they have managed their bills. Reach out and say you are willing to help.
- Do the steps above over time. Six months to a year works well without getting frustrated and tired. Making the paper management system a smooth process works best for them and you. Keep in mind this may not be their favorite area to work in. So go at their pace.
- There may be documents in various parts of the home. Make a temporary file so as you gather the paperwork, you will have a place to store them until you find them all.
I hope this helps keep your parent's papers organized. Have you organized your parent's documents? Do you have any tips to share? Or any questions? Please leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you.
The Complete Series:
Feel free to visit the rest of the posts in this series:
THE DOWNSIZING TALK WITH AGING PARENTS
TIPS TO HELP YOUR PARENTS DOWNSIZE THEIR STUFF
HELPING YOUR PARENTS WITH MONEY MATTERS
TIPS TO HELP YOUR PARENTS WITH PAPER MANAGEMENT <<THIS POST!!!!
HELPING YOUR PARENTS WITH ONLINE ACCOUNTS
TIPS TO HELP YOUR PARENTS WITH LEGAL DOCUMENTS
Visit our other posts on the topic of paper management!
Krystyna Lagowski says
What a great idea for a blog post! When my mother became elderly and somewhat forgetful, she knew it and tried to organize her bills and papers. But she was very secretive about some of them. I respected her privacy and only rounded up the ones she needed help with, which made a huge difference.
Sabrina says
Thanks for sharing, Krystyna. You did great. Being sensitive to your parent is the best choice. You don't want to upset them in such a touchy situation.
Erica says
I think this is good advice for almost anyone. Most of us could probably use some help in being more organized. Some years ago, I had a short-lived job helping an older woman organize her papers. She was a very vibrant and active woman, but she saw the value in getting things organized.
Sushmita says
Sabrina my parents are the ones from whom i inherited the quality of being planned and organized. But the above article needs to be shared with my husband he's the most messiest of all.
William Rusho says
This is so important. Bills can be easily missed, and if they are then things like insurance etc can, and will be cancelled.
Having an area just set up for them, can be a life saver.
RoseMary Griffith says
I'm with Donna--my husband needs these tips. I'm neurotically organized with this stuff. He? Not so much. I'm still wondering where he put our marriage certificate!
Good tips.
Phoenicia says
My mum is still relatively young so manages her own paperwork with ease. I would encourage her to shred documents going back several years. For some reason she feels she has to keep hold of them just in case.
Ken Dowell says
This is all really sound advice but I would question one thing. I'm not sure setting up automated bill paying for older persons is a good idea. They are very likely to be unsure about how to stop the automated payments and may also just simply forget that they are paying for something that maybe they don't use or want anymore. I know that in the past I have been surprised to find that I was still paying for something that I had long forgotten, like a subscription.
Sabrina says
Good point, Ken. I know several retirees that prefer doing automated payment for things like car payments or rent because they don't wish to write checks on a regular basis. But, of course, it should always be discussed with the parent to see what works best for them. Creating a list of automatic payment accounts including the bills name and the associated credit card will help keep the auto payment bills under control. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Catarina says
Sounds like good suggestions for helping your parents with paper management, Sabrina. Unfortunately my parents passed away a long time ago so I cannot help them. When father died mummy didn't even know how to pay a bill. She was used to just giving them to daddy who took care of them. So we had to show her how a bill was paid.
Sabrina says
Thanks for sharing, Catarina. It's not surprising that your mom didn't know what to do with the bills. I have heard many stories like yours.
Donna Janke says
Some of us need this tips for ourselves, never mind our parents! My parents have been dead for well over ten years, but even if there were still alive I think it is I who needs these tips more than they do. My mother was very organized.