15 guides
Household records guides
Plain-English guides to keeping the right papers, storing them safely and getting them ready for your family. General education, not legal or tax advice.
What to keep
Tax records, statements, home records and vital documents.
- How long to keep tax records
At least three years for most people, longer in some cases.
- Bank statements, pay stubs and bills
Most monthly paper can go once it's checked.
- Home and property records
Keep these as long as you own the property, and a while after.
- Vital records: keep these for life
Birth certificates, Social Security cards, passports and more.
Store it safely
Safes, safe deposit boxes, scanning and shredding.
- Home safe or safe deposit box?
Each fits different documents.
- Scanning and going paperless
Scan, name it well, back it up twice.
- Keeping digital documents safe
Strong password, two-step login, and a backup.
- Shredding: the basics
Anything with a number, signature or account detail.
Stay organized
A simple filing system, yearly purges and receipts.
- A filing system you'll actually use
Seven folders, an inbox and ten minutes a week.
- The yearly paperwork purge
One afternoon a year after tax season.
- Warranties, manuals and big receipts
Keep them as long as you own the item.
Ready for anything
Emergency binders, instructions, disasters and replacements.
- Build a household emergency binder
The information your family would need, in one place.
- A letter of instruction for your family
Not a legal document, but a big help to those you leave.
- Documents to grab in a disaster
A go-bag folder and a digital backup.
- Replacing lost or destroyed documents
Where to go for each one.