In my latest video, I went over how to organize your personal finance documents. My system is completely paperless, but here is a list of documents you should never shred.
- Academic records (Transcripts, Diplomas, Certifications)
- Adoption Papers
- Bankruptcy Documentation
- Birth Certificates
- Car Titles
- Citizenship Papers
- Death Certificates
- Deed and Mortgages
- Divorce Certificates
- Driver’s Licenses
- Estate Planning Documents (Wills, Trusts, Health Proxies, etc.)
- Immunization Records
- Loan Payoffs
- Marriage Certificates
- Military Service Records
- Passports
- Social Security Cards
- Vehicle Registrations
- Anything With A Raised Seal
3 Comments
Annie,
If my mom died in 2015, how long should I hang onto her records? The estate was settled long ago. Luckily, we switched her all her assets into a trust and all went fairly smoothly.
Hey Kelly,
Since it’s all been settled and switched, I would recommend to just hold onto the death certificate and then scan the rest of the paperwork for digital copy you can keep.
I have a great deal of the important stuff scanned. I bet the lawyer really has it all digitally; I’ll ask him how long he holds it.
I have 3 giant notebooks; scanning wouldn’t be fun. I had to do that for a non-profit I am secretary for after a fire water everything and that was a bear. I declared we are going Google on our documents from now on.