One of the easiest things you can do to help keep your financial house in order is to get organized. Having your financial information stored and processed in a systematic manner will go a long way in helping maintain your finances.
Start a Basic Filing System
There is a lot of financial information that needs to be organized and processed, and a simple filing system can make this less of a chore. You can essentially break down all of your financial papers into the following categories:
- Bills due
- Important documents to keep
- Items to throw away or shred
It really is that simple. Either you have a bill that needs to be paid, a receipt or document that should be saved, or something that can be discarded. It is up to you how you want to organize these items, but it can be as simple as using three individual folders labeled with the above information.
Then, whenever you get the mail or receive another financial document, take a moment to put it into the correct folder. That way your bills and important documents are in one easy to find place. You can then regularly process the folders and permanently store the important documents and toss or recycle what you don’t need.
Keep Important Documents Organized
While the basic filing system will do a good job in keeping your daily finances in order, you will still want to organize the important items you need to keep. Generally, you can use a small file cabinet with individual folders to keep everything in order. Some examples of financial documents you should keep:
- Tax returns
- Insurance policies
- Mortgage documents
- Investment and retirement account statements
- Warranties or service contracts
Being Organized Can Even Help Your Heirs
In the event that something happens to you, the organized financial documents can tremendously help those who will be taking care of your affairs after you’re gone. This can streamline the settling of your estate. If you have a will, it is also important to have a letter of instruction so that the executor knows where to find these documents.
