Getting Your Financial Records Organized

adapted from Eastern Michigan University Extended Programs-NICE

Checklist 1: Personal financial information

Checklist 2: Home record keeping categories

Checklist 3: What to keep and for how long

Personal documents, household records and important legal papers accumulate continually. A record keeping system will help you organize the important information concerning your household financial affairs and keep track of your personal finances and hard-to-replace documents. Another benefit is to have all your tax records and documents in a designated space so you can prepare your tax returns in a shorter time with more accuracy. An important benefit of keeping orderly records is that you can document payments when required, such as to prove payment of child support, medical bills to insurance companies, or to obtain warranty coverage. Also you can document losses for fire damage or theft for insurance claims. Record keeping can help you save time and money while giving you peace of mind.

Setting up a record keeping system includes four steps:

1. Gather and organize financial information.
2. Decide where each type of record should be kept -- in a home file or safe deposit box.
3. Organize the records kept in your home file and place appropriate records in a safe deposit box.
4. Review and discard unneeded records.

Step 1: Organize Financial Information

Organizing important personal information will make money management easier for you and for others who may be responsible for handling your financial affairs. When you organize financial papers, the first step is to locate all of the documents and related information such as phone and account numbers. Gather information in the categories listed in Checklist 1: Personal financial information . Put one copy in your safe deposit box and one in your home file. The Personal Financial Information Record should be reviewed annually and when there are major changes such as marriage, divorce, or death of family member.

Step 2: Decide Where to Store Your Financial Records

Financial records can be kept either in a home file or in a safe deposit box at a financial institution. Active records and those of limited value can be kept in a home file. Consider using a safe deposit box to store records that would be difficult to replace, such as:

• personal papers such as birth, marriage and death certificates, divorce decrees, adoption papers, passports, citizenship papers, military service records
• automobile and other titles
• certificates of deposit or bank savings certificates
• list of insurance policies and their numbers
• property records, title and deeds
• legal papers, leases and contracts
• copy of household goods inventory with photos or video
• names and addresses of your financial advisors and financial institutions
• copy of financial plans, net worth statements
• list of checking and savings accounts by financial institution
• papers pertaining to valuable property such as jewelry, silverware
• records of home improvements

Step 3: Organize and Store Records Kept at Home

The financial records and documents you keep at home can be organized into several categories using Checklist 2: Home record keeping categories and adding or deleting categories as needed.

Select a convenient place such as in the kitchen or home office area to keep important household financial documents. A file cabinet that is fire and water resistant makes good sense. Or you can simply use an inexpensive cardboard box that holds file folders. Keep it handy, where it can be accessed easily, probably not on the top shelf of the closet. Many people store duplicates of important household papers in a safe place where they work.

At least one other person should know where all important records are kept and how they are organized, so that in an emergency that person can locate information quickly. A logical place to keep this information would be at the front of the active files. The information should include a list of items in the safe deposit box and where the key is located.

Step 4: Review and Discard Unneeded Records

You will accumulate many financial papers over time so it is important to know what and how long to keep them. You can also separate papers into active and inactive files.

• Personal records that provide documentation of events such as birth, marriage, divorce, death, military service, adoption, naturalization and medical records should be kept permanently. Personal statements such as preferred funeral arrangements should be dated and a copy provided to a close friend or relative.
• Housing and investment records such as titles, deeds, trust agreements, wills, retirement plan agreements and power of attorney documents should be kept as long as the agreements are in effect . Investment purchase and sale records should be kept for 6 years after the tax deadline for the year of sale.
• Tax records such as federal and state income taxes, gift and estate tax returns should be kept at least six years. The IRS has three years from the time of filing to assess additional taxes. The time period can be extended however, if you substantially underreported income or for a fraudulent return. Some financial advisors suggest that you keep a copy of your tax returns with documentation for at least 10 years. For tax purposes, papers documenting home purchase and improvements should be kept as long as you own the property or are rolling over profits into new property.
• Consumer purchase records, such as receipts and warranties for major purchases should be kept as long as you own the item or until the warranty expires.

To avoid storing unnecessary paper, once a year you can use Checklist 3: What to keep and for how long to quickly decide which records to keep and which to throw out. Keep records in active files that you refer to regularly, such as current bank statements, canceled checks, bills, receipts and tax deductible items. Other records, such as last year's tax and bank records, can be stored in an inactive area.

Using the Checklist 2: Personal Financial Information Checklist, gather and organize your financial information. Review and update as necessary. Place one copy of your filing system with your records at home and another in your safe deposit box. Be sure at least one other person is familiar with your system and knows where the records are kept.

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