HOLA
Active member
So, you've created the perfect filing system, you can put your hands on any piece of paper in 30 seconds or less, and your desk is in order. What happens if your house burns down tomorrow -- would all of your vital records go up in smoke? If you had to go into the hospital or (heaven forbid) died next week, would your loved ones be able to find what they need to manage your affairs? There is much more to organizing than just making sure everything has a home. You need to make sure your important paperwork is PROTECTED and easy to access in the case of an EMERGENCY.
FIRE, FLOOD, OR TORNADO
I first started thinking about the value of protecting important records when my sister's neighborhood was hit with an F5 tornado. The houses I had grown up around were decimated -- in some places, there was nothing left but the foundation. Fortunately, there were very few casualties, but I watched on the news as the community tried to put itself back together again. As I thought about all of the things these people had lost -- their homes, their cars, their personal possessions -- I realized how difficult it would be to REBUILD your life without paperwork. How long would it take you to file a claim with your insurance company, if you didn't know your policy number? How difficult would it be to handle your finances if your checks, bank statements, and credit card info was destroyed? How could you get the help you needed without birth certificates, social security cards, and other personal information?
The goal here is not to be pessimistic, but PREPARED. You should keep a list of all your important numbers (bank account, credit card, insurance policies, social security) and contact information (addresses, phone numbers, and your contact person) for anything that you would need if disaster struck. You should also consider storing your vital records (birth certificates, wills, insurance policies) and your list someplace safe -- keeping copies in your everyday files for quick reference. Someplace safe means a safe deposit box, a locked drawer at your place of employment, your mother's house, or a fire safe in your closet. And it's also a good idea to leave copies of this information with your attorney and CPA -- the two professionals who will be most involved with your situation if you do face a major emergency.
FIRE, FLOOD, OR TORNADO
I first started thinking about the value of protecting important records when my sister's neighborhood was hit with an F5 tornado. The houses I had grown up around were decimated -- in some places, there was nothing left but the foundation. Fortunately, there were very few casualties, but I watched on the news as the community tried to put itself back together again. As I thought about all of the things these people had lost -- their homes, their cars, their personal possessions -- I realized how difficult it would be to REBUILD your life without paperwork. How long would it take you to file a claim with your insurance company, if you didn't know your policy number? How difficult would it be to handle your finances if your checks, bank statements, and credit card info was destroyed? How could you get the help you needed without birth certificates, social security cards, and other personal information?
The goal here is not to be pessimistic, but PREPARED. You should keep a list of all your important numbers (bank account, credit card, insurance policies, social security) and contact information (addresses, phone numbers, and your contact person) for anything that you would need if disaster struck. You should also consider storing your vital records (birth certificates, wills, insurance policies) and your list someplace safe -- keeping copies in your everyday files for quick reference. Someplace safe means a safe deposit box, a locked drawer at your place of employment, your mother's house, or a fire safe in your closet. And it's also a good idea to leave copies of this information with your attorney and CPA -- the two professionals who will be most involved with your situation if you do face a major emergency.
