Sometimes we throw important things away without checking them first. For example, you may discard some personal papers along with an old notebook. Grab your glasses and always pay attention to what you want to throw in the trash.
Being patient when you clean and declutter is the best thing to do if you don’t want a massive headache. After selecting the good from the “bad” ones try to keep your papers organized—this way you’ll have immediate access to any important documents you may need in the future.
“Organizing your financial documents allows you to reduce your paperwork clutter and gain control of your financial life,” says Tony Steuer, an authority on financial literacy and author of GET READY! A Step-by-Step Planner for Maintaining Your Financial First-Aid Kit.
“Being able to quickly find your important documents will help you during major life events, such as when you apply for a loan, meet with your estate planning attorney, or are forced to leave your house in an emergency,” he added.
11 thoughts on “8 Important Documents You Should NEVER Throw Away”
This is good organization technique I keep mine in my safe deposit box
I wish I would have kept my 1988 tax forms because Social Security went back 31 years when I applied for disability and was granted in 2019. Since I couldn’t prove I made the amount that was on Social Security Statement for that year by not saving that years paperwork, Social Security cut that amount in half which affects my monthly disability payments. IRS doesn’t keep records for that long either
So I suggest people should save their tax records till death then family members can dispose of them then.
It sounds like good advice, but the government is now telling people not to keep tax returns before 2020. Why is that?
GREAT ADVISE
thankyou for the imformation , what about home sales paper and decese paper.?
Great information, very helpful and very educative, thanks.
Why did you not mention a final Will, Advance Directives, Medical Power of Attorney, Financial Power of Attorney?
If you refinance your home should you keep the old papers. TY
Ever since we married in 1975 my wife and I been filing joint tax returns. now I got a letter (supously) from IRS saing that she own taxex from 2006. In 2006 she was not working (we sold our Landscaping business in 2001). We always had our taxes done by a licenses CPA. She pass away last year in July 2024 and now I’m getting this letter only on her name (even we always file joint returns). What is your advise?
Put the information on one page not this click to next page garbage. I don’t play that game
Unbelievable, but good advice.