When something unexpected happens, the first question a family asks is: where are the papers? Here's a simple way to keep your important documents safe, and easy for the right person to find.
The papers that matter most
- Birth certificates, Social Security cards and passports
- Marriage, divorce and military papers
- Your will or trust, power of attorney and health care directive
- Deeds, car titles and the mortgage
- Life insurance policies
- Recent tax returns
Where to keep them
Freddie Mac's emergency preparedness guide recommends storing paper documents in a fireproof and waterproof container, a home safe, or a bank safe deposit box.1
A fireproof, waterproof box at home works well for most families. It protects papers and keeps them in one place.
A bank safe deposit box is very secure, but family members may not be able to open it quickly. Keep anything they'd need right away, like your will or funeral wishes, somewhere easier to reach, or make sure someone you trust has access.
Digital copies are a smart backup. The same guide suggests password-protecting electronic copies and keeping them on a drive stored in a safe, or in a secure cloud service.1 Keep the originals, too.
The step most families forget
Storing your papers well is only half the job. The other half is making sure someone knows where they are. Write one simple page that lists where each document lives, and tell one trusted person where to find that page.
Never write these down
Passwords, PINs and full account numbers don't belong on paper. Write where they can be found instead, such as "in my password app, and my son can get in."
Make your "where everything is" page in minutes.
The Kept & Known organizer includes a ready-made Where Everything Is sheet, plus pages for every account, policy and wish your family would need.
Sources
General information only, not legal advice.