What Are Important Life Documents And What To Do With Them
What are life’s most important documents? What important papers do you need to keep? Do you have an Important Documents Checklist? And how do you organize important life documents?
Is your family aware of where these important documents are in case of emergency? Do you have an important documents list?
The answers to these questions are below along with some super helpful document resources.
After you gather your documents, head over to How to Organize Your Important Documents
Next Phase Parenting now has a Family Information Notebook and an Important Records Spreadsheet to help you organize your important documents.
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of this page and get your 10 Resources for Surviving the Next Phase. It includes the printable Important Documents Checklist pdf.
What are important documents in our lives?
I have sadly had several friends recently lose their husbands suddenly. Some were prepared for the worst. Some were somewhat prepared. One of these guys was in his forties and the rest were in their fifties or sixties.
You just don’t know. The worst can happen at any time. This loss is the worst, so having these details in place will help greatly during a time of extreme stress.
Why You Need an Important Documents Checklist
Who pays all of your bills? Who makes all the calls for insurance problems? Who knows where all the passwords are at the moment? That would be me in my house! But, it could be the opposite, and my husband could be taking care of all of this. What if the gatekeeper of your life’s most important documents was suddenly gone? Don’t put off this important task for later.
Losing a spouse is horrible, so you want all these things to be taken care of ahead of time. This is also very important to do with your parents because in a lot of instances, they are really unorganized when it comes to all of this!
How to Use the Important Documents Checklist
Let’s talk about what you need to have, and how to get it all done in the next year, so that you are ready in case something terrible happens. My suggestion is to print the Important Document’s Checklist from the Our Surviving the Next Phase e-book and then take each of these categories one at a time. Give yourself 30 days to complete each one. There are suggestions for safekeeping life’s most important documents at the bottom of this post.
Check out the books and resources to use below!
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#1 Life’s Most Important Documents:
Legal Identification Documents
- birth certificates
- marriage license
- social security cards
- It’s also good to have a copy of both drivers licenses and passports on hand
Other documents to consider would be:
- green card(s)
- adoption papers
- naturalization papers
- military ID
- death certificates
- baptismal records to name a few.
**Guardianship documents are important to have on hand in the case of death or emergency. A guardianship letter is a type of legal document that allows a person to hand over their guardianship rights to a different party. This can be included in a will. You can include a more informal letter with your will with your thoughts and suggestions about the structure of your children’s upbringing.
#2 Life’s Most Important Documents:
Legal Tax Documents
- Personal and business: tax returns, W-2s, 1099s, etc. The IRS says you only need 3 years of tax returns. A friend of mine who works for a CPA says they tell people 7 years. I have saved 10 years worth.
- Vehicle: personal property tax receipts, vehicle registration, lease, and loan payment and payoff information and maintenance receipts. Also, insurance information.
- Property: tax receipts, deed, bill of sale, loan payments and payoff receipts, insurance, utility information including payment amounts, record of home improvement dates and receipts, major purchase receipts, and home inventory record…
#3 Life’s Most Important Documents:
Important Financial Documents
- Paystubs -at least one physical copy within the past year at current rate of pay
- unemployment
- investments
- bank records
- credit card information
- retirement accounts and pension plans
- government benefits
- savings bonds
- alimony
- child support
- elder care
- college: tuition, loans, and scholarship information
- HSA or FSA documentation
#4 Life’s Most Important Documents:
Important Financial Documents
- Medical power of attorney
- living will
- insurance claims and receipts
- all doctors’ contact information
- immunization records, organ donor card, HIPAA release, vet records…
Make sure that you have a place where you put all tax returns from previous years and a file for any documents for the upcoming tax season. This makes it easier if you need them for any reason.
#5 Life’s Most Important Documents:
Estate Planning Documents
- will
- financial power of attorney
- advance directive
- funeral and burial instructions
- beneficiaries and a letter of intent for them
- DNR if that is what you wish
#6 Life’s Most Important Documents:
Education and Employment Records
- Diplomas
- degrees
- certifications
- transcripts and other academic records
- salary and promotion records
#7 Life’s Most Important Documents:
Other important documents
This could mean things as important as user names and passwords FOR EVERYTHING, including your phone -to coupon codes, gift cards, and upcoming vacation documents.
People to Reach Out To In Case Of Emergency
This would be a list of family and friends who would want to know if something were to happen. The list should also include the names of business contacts for all the above information such as insurance agents, financial advisor, banker, etc.
How to Get the Important Documents Checklist:
Scroll to the bottom of this page and sign up for our Surviving the Next Phase E-book. This e-book contains 10 resources for surviving the next phase including the Important Documents Checklist.
Related posts to important life documents
4 Simple Ways to Organize Important Documents
23 Best End of Life Planning Resources
What You Need To Know Legally When Your Teen Turns 18!
How to stay in touch:
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