Do you know where and how your important documents are stored? Are they safely secure and available to access when needed or in case of an emergency? If you don’t know, or are not sure what documents may be important for safekeeping, then please read further for important tips.
“Important documents” include personal and financial documents that may be hard to replace. These include the following examples: birth certificates, adoption papers, social security cards, passports (when not using), immigration papers, marriage certificates, death certificates, powers of attorney, living wills and wills, military papers, and documentation supporting disability benefits. For businesses, examples include corporate organization and ownership documentation.
You should take steps to secure important documents in your possession with a means for retrieving as needed. Secure options include storing in a safe deposit box or fireproof locked safe, while also creating copies for your files. To the extent you entrust a law firm to maintain any original important documents, you should inquire as to how the firm will safeguard your records until such time as needed or requested and any contingencies in place.
My parents learned this the hard way when they engaged an attorney many year ago to prepare their wills who offered to store the originals in a safe. After he passed away unexpectedly, they learned their wills were not in the safe or anywhere among his files. They had to redo their wills and at least could do so before they were needed. If a firm stores any of your original important documents, you should at least obtain a copy for your files.
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