FOREVER BOX

Please tell me the specific documents one should keep in the ‘Forever Box’,

Thank you

Terry Says: If you go to my website — www.terrysavage.com — and sign up in the yellow box, by return email you’ll get a confirmation — When you click on that email, you will get another with a link to my Personal Financial Organizer form that you can print out.  Everything asked on that form should go in the box!  For example, a list of your credit cards, and numbers, your attorney’s name, a copy of your will and estate plan (give healthcare powers to your physician as well as your living will, but keep a copy in the box).  Deeds, ownership, mortgage documents and car title can be in folders in the box.  Add a copy of your birth certificate, divorce papers, military separation records, and cemetery deed.  Make a list of passwords for your banking and investment accounts.

If you have room, this is a good place to put a folder with capital expenditures on your home — things that will raise the cost basis, and limit capital gains taxes, when you sell your home.  You probably don’t need any tax records, which are stored separately in your “annual box” — but if you keep any old paper stock certificates, savings bonds, or other valuable items, they belong in this box.

One other thing: if you don’t store your photos in the cloud, then you might want to have some special ones in this box.

Obviously, this is not a box you want to leave around for anyone to see!  Store it securely, make it metal– and fireproof.  And then you can grab it in an emergency.