Record of Important Papers – Interactive Form

CAUTION! Using this interactive form may place sensitive personal information on your computer. If the computer file is stolen, information contained in the form could result in theft of your identity and could become a threat to your personal assets.

USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!

We recommend you protect your personal information by taking one or more of the following precautions with this file: 

1. Only save and store this file on a removable disk (e.g., CD-Rom or floppy disk) rather than saving the file on your computer hard drive. Store the removable disk in a secure place. 

2. Password-protect the file using the security features in Microsoft Word. Consult the MS Word help information; search for “password.”

3. Encrypt the folder in which you keep the file using security features of your computer’s operating system. Consult the help features of your operating system; search for “encrypt folder.”

If you password-protect your file or folder, BEWARE! Losing the password or encryption key could prevent you from accessing the file. Be careful with your sensitive personal data.

Record of Important Papers – Interactive Form

INSTRUCTIONS: Use this Record of Important Papers Interactive Form to make your own family record book. You can enter your information in the shaded areas of this document. If an item already has text in its shaded area, you can change the text simply by typing over it. 

To begin using the Record of Important Papers Interactive Form, save a copy of the document on your computer. We recommend that you save the document under a different file name (such as “Our record of important papers,” etc.). To change the file name, use the “Save As” command in your word processor. 

To enter your information, simply click on the shaded area and begin typing. The columns will expand to accommodate the typed information. You can change or update any of the information that you enter. Use your Tab key to move quickly from one item or column to the next. 

After you’ve completed your records, print a copy of the document and keep it in your household files. You may want to keep an additional copy of these forms in your safe-deposit box at the bank or at another safe place away from home. 

Revise as needed to keep the information up-to-date.

Your Record of Important Papers

You conduct a variety of business transactions, many of which require supportive records. Birth certificates, proof of ownership, location of property, income tax reports, savings and investment records, insurance policies, guarantees, and warranties are probably among your important papers. These are but a few of the essential records you need to operate your home in a business-like way.

Every man, woman, and mature child should know the location of all important papers that pertain to life and property. Some records should be stored at home; others should be kept in a safer place, such as a bank or lawyer’s office. Where you keep your papers will depend partly on how often you use them. You need some records frequently and others only at special times. Family members should know whom to contact for financial advice in case of an emergency. A trusted lawyer, banker, or insurance agent who is familiar with your finances can be helpful in case of a death or other emergency.

This interactive form will help you organize your important papers. Study the pages, analyze each section, and fill in the blanks. After examining your important papers and evaluating your business affairs, you will know whether you need to see a banker, lawyer, or insurance agent to help put and keep your affairs in shape. You may also find the information valuable for estate planning. 

When your record is complete, put a printed copy in a safe place. You may wish to keep a duplicate in a bank safe-deposit box or a fireproof, waterproof, and burglar-proof home safe. Bring the information up-to-date at least once a year. Properly filled out and kept current, this information can help you find records when you need them, and it can be a guide to you or others in an emergency.

For more information on what records to keep, why, where, and,for how long, see Extension Publication Organize Your Important Papers.

Family Record

Family member name	

Birth date	
Location of birth certificate*	
Social Security number	Location of Social Security card number*	
Be sure to read pages 1 to 3 before using this form (scroll up) 	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	
*Because of the threat of identity theft, carry your Social Security card only when needed for employment and to register for benefits. Keep your Social Security card number and birth certificate in a safe-deposit box at a financial institution or in a fireproof, waterproof, and burglar-proof home safe. 	

Important Advisers and Contacts

Type	
Name	
Address	Telephone or email address	
Attorney	     	     	     	
Personal representative 
of my will	     	     	     	
Personal representative
of will for spouse/partner	     	     	     	
Religious adviser	     	     	     	
Primary care doctor	     	     	     	
Other doctor:	     	     	     	
Other doctor:	     	     	     	
Other doctor:	     	     	     	
Other doctor:	     	     	     	
Dentist	     	     	     	
Accountant or tax adviser	     	     	     	
Stockbroker/investment 
adviser	     	     	     	
Banker or trust officer(s)	     	     	     	
Employer or personnel manager	     	     	     	
Business manager or 
business partner	     	     	     	
Life insurance agent	     	     	     	
Home insurance agent	     	     	     	
Auto insurance agent	     	     	     	
Employer or personnel manager	     	     	     	
Child/adult care provider	     	     	     	
Neighbor or close friend	     	     	     	
Parents—maternal	     	     	     	
Parents—paternal	     	     	     	
Guardian of children	     	     	     	
Children’s school 
contacts	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	

Property

Type	

Owner(s)	

Type of ownership	

Date
acquired	

Location/
description	Location title/
ownership information*	

Additional
information	
Real estate:
Residence(s)	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	

Business(es)	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	
Timeshare(s)	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	
Cemetery plot(s)	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	

Motor vehicle(s)	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	
Other 	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	
* Store titles, leases, and other important ownership information in a safe-deposit box or fireproof, waterproof, and burglar-proof home safe.

Banking, Savings, and Investments

Type	
Financial
institution/
company	

Address/
telephone	

Owner 	
Location of records	Additional information (if appropriate)	

I.D. #	

Beneficiary	
Price/
value(s)	Dates (purchase, maturity, etc.)	
Checking account/s	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
Savings
account/s	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
Money market account(s)
	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
Bonds, treasury bills, etc.	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	

Banking, Savings, and Investments – continued

Type	
Financial
institution/
company	

Address/
telephone	

Owner 	

Location of records	Additional information (if appropriate)	

I.D. #	

Beneficiary	
Price/
value(s)	 Dates (purchase, 
matures)	
Stocks, mutual funds, investment trusts, etc.

	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
Individual Retirement Accounts, Keogh accounts, SEPs	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
Retirement plans, pensions, etc.	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
Other	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
*Savings and investment certificates, bonds, bills, and other evidence of ownership (financial records difficult or costly to replace, or that could be transferred illegally in case of loss or theft) should be kept in a safe-deposit box or fireproof, waterproof, and burglar-proof home safe. Monthly statements and substitute or cancelled checks or their images, which generally can be replaced, can be kept in a home files, desk, etc.

Insurance (Life, Health, Disability, Homeowner’s/Renter’s, Auto, etc.)

				Additional information (if applicable)	

Type	
Company and
address	

Policy #	Location
of
policy*	
Primary beneficiary	
Contingent beneficiary	
Policy owner	Person/
property insured	

Value(s)	
     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	     	

*Since policies are replaceable, they can be stored in a home file cabinet, desk, etc.

Cards (Credit, Debit, ATM, Smart, etc.)

Type 	
In name of	
Account #	If lost or stolen, notify*	
			Company/institution	Address	Telephone	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
    *Carry only the credit card(s) you regularly use in your purse or wallet. 

Debt Information

Type	Company/person and address	Total $$ owed	Payment amount and date	Location of contracts/records*	Additional 
information	
What we owe:	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
What others owe us:	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	     	
*Keep important contracts, notes, liens, and evidence of debt payments in a safe-deposit box or fireproof, waterproof, and burglar-proof home safe. 

Membership in Organizations/Clubs*
 Name of 
organization/club	
Address	
Telephone	Membership information	
			In whose name	Number	
     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	
     	     	     	     	     	
*Carry membership cards used on a regular basis in your purse or wallet. 

Other Important Records

6

Guideline: The more important the record, and the more expensive and difficult it is to replace, the safer its storage location should be. If you have more records or storage locations than this form allows, make a copy for each member of your household. For some records (will, family history, tax returns, household inventory) you may wish to keep copies in more than one location. Group A items should be kept in a safe-deposit box or fireproof, waterproof, and burglar-proof home safe. Group B items can generally be stored in a home business center, file cabinet, desk, etc. Group C items should normally be carried in your purse or wallet or left safely at home. 
	
Group 	Kind of paper or record	Location 	Additional information	
A
SAFE DEPOSIT BOX	Adoption papers	     	     	
	Baptismal records	     	     	
	Birth certificates	     	     	
	Citizenship/naturalization papers	     	     	
	Death certificates	     	     	
	Diplomas	     	     	
	Divorce/separation papers	     	     	
	Durable powers of attorney	     	     	
	Health records (with blood type)	     	     	
	Household inventory	     	     	
	Irreplaceable receipts (proof of tax deductions)	     	     	
	Living will	     	     	
	Marriage certificates	     	     	
	Military records	     	     	
	Passport	     	     	
	Patents/copyrights	     	     	
	Real estate deeds/easements/rights of way	     	     	
	Titles and bills of sale	     	     	
	Trust	     	     	
	Will	     	     	
	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	

Other Important Records – continued

Group	Kind of paper or record	Location	Additional information	
B
HOME FILES	Appraisals: collections/antiques/jewelry/other	     	     	
	Bank/credit union statements	     	     	
	Cemetery plot/records	     	     	
	Computer passwords (copy)	     	     	
	Education records	     	     	
	Employment records	     	     	
	Family history	     	     	
	Household inventory (copy)	     	     	
	Income/expense records	     	     	
	Income tax returns	     	     	
	Funeral plan documents/instructions	     	     	
	Legal appointments for others (i.e., power of attorney, executor/trix of will)	     	     	
	Letter of last instructions	     	     	
	Living will (copy)	     	     	
	Medical records	     	     	
	Net worth statements	     	     	
	Safe-deposit box inventory	     	     	
	Warranties/appliance manuals	     	     	
	Will (copy)	     	     	
C
WALLET
	Driver’s license	     	     	
	Employee ID card	     	     	
	Identity card/whom to notify	     	     	
	Insurance /medical cards	     	     	
	Organ donor card	     	     	
OTHER
	Living will (copy at doctor’s office)	     	     	
	     	     	     	
	     	     	     	

Information About Your Record of Important Papers (this document)

Family Name	     	
Date this record was updated	     	
Location of this record – Copy #1	     	
Location of this record - Copy #2	     	
Computer file name	     	
Computer user name	     	
Computer password	     	
Safe-deposit box number	     	
Safe-deposit box location	     	
Safe-deposit box key location	     	
     	     	
     	     	
     	     	

Adapted for use in the Legally Secure Your Financial Future program
from works by Marsha A. Goetting, Ph.D., CFP, C.H.E., Montana State University Extension Family Economics Specialist and 
Joyce E. Jones, Ph.D., formerly Kansas State University professor and Extension Family Financial Management Specialist.

The use of this document is encouraged for non-profit educational purposes. This document may be reprinted if no endorsement of a commercial product, service or company is stated or implied, and if appropriate credit is given to the CSREES-USDA Legally Secure Your Financial Future: Organize, Communicate, Prepare (LSYFF) educational program. This is one of many educational programs available on the CSREES-USDA- Financial Security in Later Life web site: http://www.csrees.usda.gov/fsll
This interactive form is a component of the Legally Secure Your Financial Future: Organize learning lesson, 
available on the eXtension web site under Personal Finance:
http://www.extension.org/personal_finance