by Nancy M. Porter
Financial Records Organizer:
Preparing for Emergencies
and Disasters
BUL 893
Contents
Importance of Taking Action Now...................................... 3
Tax Records............................................................................. 3
Records of Significant Purchases........................................ 3
Using the Organizer.............................................................. 4
Protecting Sensitive Financial Information....................... 4
Portable Fireproof Box—Your Emergency Kit................... 4
Forms....................................................................................... 5
1. Family members.......................................................... 6
2. Location of important papers................................... 7
3. Assets
A. Financial accounts (checking with debit
cards, money management accounts) and
safe deposit box................................................... 12
B. Savings accounts and certificates of deposit.13
C. Real estate............................................................ 14
D. Real estate you lease/rent................................. 15
E. Stocks.................................................................... 16
F. Bonds, notes, bills................................................ 17
G. Mutual funds and exchange traded funds
(EFTs) not held in retirement accounts........... 18
H. Other investments (annuities, IRAs)............... 19
I. Retirement benefits............................................20
J. Personal property (autos, jewelry, guns,
collections, etc.).................................................. 21
K. Notes, mortgages owed to you, and
accounts receivable.............................................22
L. Trusts.....................................................................23
4. Liabilities
A. Mortgages and other real estate debt.............24
B. Liens against personal or business property
(e.g., vehicle or machinery loans).....................25
C. Real estate leased/rented by you from a
different landowner............................................26
D. Other personal liabilities (credit cards,
loans, money owed to others).......................... 27
5.Insurance
A. Life insurance policies.........................................28
B. Other insurance policies (auto, disability,
health, homeowner’s, long-term care,
renter’s, umbrella)...............................................29
6. Miscellaneous financial information.....................30
7. Professional advisors, guardian(s), personal
representative(s), doctor(s), and dentist(s).........32
8. Account passwords...................................................35
Acknowledgment—This publication was adapted from Colorado
State University Extension fact sheet #9.156, (http://www.ext.
colostate.edu/pubs/consumer/09156.html) 06/2011
The author—Nancy M. Porter is Personal and Family Finance
Consultant with University of Idaho Extension.
Issued in furtherance of cooperative extension work in agriculture and home economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with
the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Barbara Petty, Interim Director of University of Idaho Extension, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho
83844. The University of Idaho provides equal opportunity in education and employment on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion,
sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, or status as a disabled veteran or Vietnam-era veteran, as required by state and federal laws.
Published May 2015
© 2015 by the University of Idaho
attorney and giving a trusted person access to your
financial accounts so they can handle business for you
in a timely manner. This way you avoid having to cut
your trip short.
Importance of Taking Action Now
Life’s emergencies require advance preparation and
planning. The first step is organizing your financial
information. Do you have an appropriate place for filing
each document? Have you told anyone where you keep
your vital information? Have you shared your wishes in
the event of your death? Are your documents available to “grab and go” in case of an evacuation? Many
situations require that you take action now to avoid
financial problems later.
Tax Records
Your spouse and adult children—and any others who
would need to handle your financial affairs—should
know the location of all papers, contracts, documents, policies, and other needed information. Each
should also know to whom to turn for advice in case
of emergency. This publication provides advice for
safeguarding your important documents and a set of
fillable forms for recording your personal and financial
information, identifying your advisors, and giving the
locations of important documents.
The Internal Revenue Service has three years to audit
federal income tax returns (or two years from the date
the tax was paid, whichever is later). However, this
limit does not apply in “unusual” cases. If an amount
of income which should have been reported was not,
and it is more than 25 percent of the income shown on
the return, the period of limitation does not expire until
six years after the return was filed. The timeline for
keeping records of capital assets is the holding period
plus six years.
Natural disasters—Wherever you live, there is always
the risk of fires, floods, and other disasters. Your home
and important documents could be totally destroyed.
Prepare yourself so you can minimize the impact.
Insurance policies and purchase receipts should be systematically filed for easy access if an insurance claim is
necessary. For the best protection, keep the originals in
a safe place and file copies elsewhere.
3
Organizing your tax records makes tax preparation
much easier. It is also essential in preparing for an audit or before consulting with an accountant to explore
possibilities for lowering your taxes in future years.
Tax files should include federal and state income tax
returns, all forms, and supporting documents—such
as W-2 forms; 1099 forms; bank statements; cancelled
checks; credit card receipts and statements; records of
capital assets, gains, and losses; and all other receipts
for tax-deductible items (interest paid, child and medical care, donations, business expenses, real estate and
personal property taxes, and casualty losses).
There is no time limitation when a return is false
or fraudulent, or when no return was filed (see IRS
Publication 552, Recordkeeping for Individuals). While
you do not have to keep all possible financial records
for tax purposes, if audited you will want to have cancelled checks or other verification of payment relating
directly to entries on your tax return. In some cases,
it is advantageous to keep records longer than the
recommended period. For example, if you are selling
your principal residence and claiming the capital gains
exclusion allowed by the IRS, documentation of the
original purchase price and capital improvements may
be required.
Theft—Theft can occur in an instant. Your wallet
could be stolen from your office or your camera from
your vehicle. Do you have a list of credit and debit
card numbers, copies of recent statements, and company contact information? This is necessary so you
can quickly report stolen cards before they are used
unlawfully. For easy access to this important information, photocopy the front and back of each credit and
debit card. Do you have a recent property inventory
completed with serial numbers to help in getting stolen
property returned?
Sudden illness or death—Contingency plans also may
be needed for sudden injury, illness, or death. If you
were incapacitated, who would handle your affairs and
how would that person gain access to your important
documents? Would they have a durable power of
attorney to act on your behalf? Would someone have
access to your dental or medical records in order to
provide positive identification of your remains? By
making these plans ahead of time, you ease the stress
your loved ones would face.
Records of Significant Purchases
Ideally, you should keep a record of all significant
purchases (big ticket items) and property you own.
Keep all “paid in full” statements for life, in case there
is ever a question about payments. A good way to keep
records is to video or take photos of each item as you
buy it. With video on a smart phone or camera, you can
speak about what the item is, the purchase date, how
much you paid for it, whether there is an extended
warranty, what it is worth, and give documentation of
appraisal. This way you have an excellent record for
Contingency plans—And what if while traveling you
discover that a financial account needs attention?
Prepare for your trip by creating a durable power of
3
insurance purposes and you increase your chances of
recovering costs of lost, stolen, or damaged property.
If the property is damaged or destroyed, you can also
take photos or video to show the extent of the damage
in comparison to the originals.
It is very important to encrypt the sensitive data stored
on your computer and on mobile storage devices such
as external disks and USB flash drives. Mobile storage
devices can carry a lot of information. Be sure that they
are always secured and do not get lost or misplaced.
Creating strong passwords—Security of electronic
Using the Organizer
files requires the user to authenticate (use a password)
when accessing the information. Password protection
requires using strong passwords. Key aspects of strong
passwords include length (6 to 14 characters); a mix
of letters (uppercase and lowercase), numbers, and
symbols; no references to your personal information;
and no dictionary words (English or foreign). You
should change your passwords regularly (every 45 to
90 days) and never keep your passwords written down
near your computer or mobile storage devices.
Use the forms that follow to organize your information
in one place. First save this publication file to your
computer, external disk, or USB flash drive with a
name you will easily remember. To fill in the forms,
just click in each box and type your information. If you
need additional space, duplicate the file.
Fill in the forms as completely as possible and update
them as your situation changes. These electronic forms
are easy to keep up-to-date. As your situation changes,
just delete the information in a box and type in the new
information. If you prefer, you can print a copy of the
forms and write the information in each box. If you use
a pencil, you can erase and add new information as
necessary.
Portable Fireproof Box—Your
Emergency Kit
Complete the forms with your spouse and others who
need access to your personal information. If spouses
have separate financial accounts, liabilities, etc., they
can complete separate forms.
If your attorney has your will, provide copies of the
completed forms to be placed in your file so your
personal representative has access to both. Give other
copies of the forms to your close relatives or trusted
individuals who have copies of your important documents. Keep copies of documents such as wills and
trust agreements in a portable fireproof box for easy
access.
• Adoption papers
• Bank statements and brokerage statements for past
year
• Birth certificates for household members
• Blank checks from each checking account
• Credit/debit/ATM cards (color copies, both sides)
When the forms are completed and kept up-to-date,
you or others who might have to manage your affairs
will know where to find all records. (It is important to
be specific when listing the location of items.) They
will also know how to contact your advisors, such as
a lawyer, accountant, primary doctor, or dentist. The
forms can be used to create an effective filing system to
manage your vital information.
• Deed to your residence
• Documents that prove ownership of investments
• Driver’s licenses (color copies)
• Health insurance, prescription, and/or other benefit
cards (color copies)
• Identification cards issued by your banks
• Insurance policies and agent/agency contact
information
Protecting Sensitive Financial
Information
• Inventory of household and personal items; photographic documentation for inventory of household
and home office items (keep additional copies at a
work office or another location)
Store your information on an external disk, USB flash
drive, or other device for portability in case of evacuation along with computer scans of original documents
and family photos. Keep hard copies of the forms
and files in a safe place known to your family and/
or advisors. Protect this information from access by
unauthorized people.
• List of assets and liabilities, with details of ownership and the contact information for all persons and
entities relevant to the ongoing status of that asset
or liability
4
4
If you don’t already have a portable fireproof box,
consider getting one. It should be large enough to hold
files and a few valuables, but not so large that you
can’t easily carry it out if you have to evacuate. Keep
your external disk, USB flash drive, or a copy of your
completed forms in this emergency kit. Here are some
other suggested items for your kit:
• List of contact information for advisors, personal representatives, trustees, guardians, doctors,
dentists
Forms
• List of electronic access user IDs, passwords, PINs,
and digital assets. (Digital assets consist of personal
information that is stored electronically on either
your personal computer or an online “cloud” server.
Anyone who uses e-mail, has a password-protected cell phone, makes online purchases, pays bills
online, or has social media accounts has digital
assets.)
2. Location of important papers
1. Family members
3. Assets
A. Financial accounts and safe deposit box
B. Savings accounts and certificates of deposit
C. Real estate
D. Real estate you lease/rent
• Location of safe-deposit boxes (with key location)
and names of authorized signatories
E.Stocks
• Marriage certificate, marriage license, divorce
documents
G. Mutual funds and exchange-traded funds not
held in retirement accounts
• Military service records
H. Other investments
• Mortgage documents and other loan documents
I. Retirement benefits
• Passports (color copies)
J. Personal property
• Religious certificates
K. Notes, mortgages owed to you, and accounts
receivable
F. Bonds, notes, bills
• Retirement plans (e.g., pension documents,
summary plan descriptions)
L.Trusts
• Social Security cards for household members
4. Liabilities
• Tax returns for a minimum of three years
A. Mortgages and other real estate debt
• Titles for vehicles
B. Liens against personal or business property
• Trusts for which you are a trustee or in which you
have a beneficial interest
C. Real estate leased/rented by you from a different
landowner
• Wills, living wills, power of attorney, durable power
of attorney for health care, and letters of last
instruction
D. Other personal liabilities
5. Insurance
A. Life insurance policies
As you can see, much of the information on this list
is already called for elsewhere on the forms. Keeping
track of your vital information should be made as
simple as possible. Don’t make it any harder than it has
to be.
B. Other insurance policies
6. Miscellaneous financial information
7. Professional advisors, guardian(s), personal representative(s), doctor(s), and dentist(s)
8. Account passwords
YOU are responsible for protecting your
financial information.
The information in your emergency kit and on
these forms should be carefully secured and
protected against unauthorized access. Using
strong passwords on all your disks, USB flash
drives, or other devices that contain sensitive
financial information is very important.
5
1. Family members
Name
(first, middle initial,
last)
Relationship
Date of birth
Email
Address
Person completing this information:
Date completed:
_________________________________________________ __________________________
6
Phone number
Social Security number
2. Location of important papers
Item
Specific location
Contact information
Adoption papers
Advance directives for health care
Durable power of attorney for health care
Living will
Birth certificates
Business/farm records
Credit cards
Death certificates
Person completing this information:
Date completed:
_________________________________________________ __________________________
7
location of important papers continued, next page
2. Location of important papers, cont.
Item
Specific location
Contact information
Estate-planning documents
Will
Beneficiary designations
Cemetery plot deed
Funeral preferences
Letter of last instruction
Power of attorney
Trust documents
Person completing this information:
Date completed:
_________________________________________________ __________________________
8
location of important papers continued, next page
2. Location of important papers, cont.
Item
Specific location
Contact information
Divorce papers
Education diplomas/certificates
Employment records
Financial records (bank, credit, debts)
Health records/insurance cards
Home improvement records
Housing documents (mortgage, appraisals,
deeds, surveys, inspections, pest control)
Insurance policies
Person completing this information:
Date completed:
_________________________________________________ __________________________
9
location of important papers continued, next page
2. Location of important papers, cont.
Item
Specific location
Contact information
Leases
Marriage license/certificate
Memorial society membership
Military records
Naturalization documents
Passports/green cards
Personal property inventory
Pet records
Person completing this information:
Date completed:
_________________________________________________ __________________________
10
location of important papers continued, next page
2. Location of important papers, cont.
Item
Specific location
Religious records/certificates
Rewards/loyalty program information
Safe-deposit box
Inventory of contents
Number and keys
Social Security cards
Tax documentation (income, property)
Warranties
Person completing this information:
Date completed:
_________________________________________________ __________________________
11
Contact information
3. Assets
A. Financial accounts (checking with debit cards, money management accounts) and safe-deposit box
Financial institution address
Type of account
Exact name(s) on account
Account, card, PIN, or
box number
Person completing this information:
Date completed:
_________________________________________________ __________________________
12
Amount
POD (Payable
on death)
assets continued, next page
3. Assets, cont.
B. Savings accounts and certificates of deposit
Financial institution address
Type of account
Exact name(s) on account
Person completing this information:
Date completed:
_________________________________________________ __________________________
13
Account number
Amount
Maturity date
assets continued, next page
3. Assets, cont.
C. Real estate
Legal description of property
Title holder (you, spouse, joint)
Exact names on title
Person completing this information:
Date completed:
_________________________________________________ __________________________
14
Year acquired
Cost
Market value and
date
assets continued, next page
3. Assets, cont.
D. Real estate you lease/rent
Legal description of property
Lessee name
Contact information
Lease type
Person completing this information:
Date completed:
_________________________________________________ __________________________
15
Lease/rental
rate
Duration of
lease
Rent due
(month/
year)
assets continued, next page
3. Assets, cont.
E. Stocks
Company/description
Contact information
Name on certificate(s)
Purchase
price/date
Number of
shares
Person completing this information:
Date completed:
_________________________________________________ __________________________
16
Certificate
numbers
Location of certificates
assets continued, next page
3. Assets, cont.
F. Bonds, notes, bills
Issuer/bond number
Contact information
Face
amount
Bond holder
Purchase price/
date
Person completing this information:
Date completed:
_________________________________________________ __________________________
17
Maturity
date
Location of certificates
assets continued, next page
3. Assets, cont.
G. Mutual funds and exchange traded funds (ETFs) not held in retirement accounts
Company/description
Contact information
Name(s) on account
Person completing this information:
Date completed:
_________________________________________________ __________________________
18
Purchase
price/date
Number of
shares
Current
value
TOD
(transfer on
death)
assets continued, next page
3. Assets, cont.
H. Other investments (annuities, IRAs)
Company/description
Contact information
Owner (you, spouse,
joint)
Type
Person completing this information:
Date completed:
_________________________________________________ __________________________
19
Beneficiary
Amount
Distribution
method
assets continued, next page
3. Assets, cont.
I. Retirement benefits
Company/description
Contact information
Owner (you, spouse,
joint)
Type of plan
(401(k), 403(b),
457)
Person completing this information:
Date completed:
_________________________________________________ __________________________
20
Beneficiary
Amount
Distribution
method (annuity,
lump sum)
assets continued, next page
3. Assets, cont.
J. Personal property (autos, jewelry, guns, collections, etc.)
Description
Owner or title holder (you, spouse,
joint)
Location of title, if any
Person completing this information:
Date completed:
_________________________________________________ __________________________
21
Cost
Market value
assets continued, next page
3. Assets, cont.
K. Notes, mortgages owed to you, and accounts receivable
Description
Name of person who owes you
Year acquired
Person completing this information:
Date completed:
_________________________________________________ __________________________
22
Value
Other
assets continued, next page
3. Assets, cont.
L. Trusts
Type
Trustee
Contact information
Person who created
trust and date
Person completing this information:
Date completed:
_________________________________________________ __________________________
23
Beneficiary
Value of trust
property
4. Liabilities
A. Mortgages and other real estate debt
Description
Name of creditor and contact
information
Account number
Amount of
payment/due
date
Person completing this information:
Date completed:
_________________________________________________ __________________________
24
Balance due by name(s)
on loan
If insured, by whom
liabilities continued, next page
4. Liabilities, cont.
B. Liens against personal or business property (e.g., vehicle or machinery loans)
Description
Name of creditor and contact
information
Account number
Amount of
payment/due
date
Person completing this information:
Date completed:
_________________________________________________ __________________________
25
Balance due by name(s)
on loan
If insured, by whom
liabilities continued, next page
4. Liabilities, cont.
C. Real estate leased/rented by you from a different landowner
Type of property and acres
Landowner’s name
Contact information
Lease type (cash,
share, etc.)
Person completing this information:
Date completed:
_________________________________________________ __________________________
26
Lease/rental rate
Rent due
(month/year)
liabilities continued, next page
4. Liabilities, cont.
D. Other personal liabilities (credit cards, loans, money owed to others)
Name of creditor
Account number
Date due
Balance
Person completing this information:
Date completed:
_________________________________________________ __________________________
27
Name(s) on account
If insured, by whom
5. Insurance
A. Life insurance policies
Company and contact
information
Owner (you, spouse,
or joint)
Person insured
Beneficiary
Type of policy/face
amount/maturity
date
Person completing this information:
Date completed:
_________________________________________________ __________________________
28
Policy number
Cash value and
any outstanding
loan
insurance continued, next page
5. Insurance, cont.
B. Other insurance policies (auto, disability, health, homeowner’s, long-term care, renter’s, umbrella)
Company and contact
information
Type of insurance
Policy number
Deductible
Person completing this information:
Date completed:
_________________________________________________ __________________________
29
Coverage
Renewal date
6. Miscellaneous financial information
Income source
Name
Amount
Contact/benefits information
Wages - Employer 1
Wages - Employer 2
Wages - Employer 3
Alimony
Business/farm
Child support
Custom work
Mineral rights
Person completing this information:
Date completed:
_________________________________________________ __________________________
30
miscellaneous financial information continued, next page
6. Miscellaneous financial information, cont.
Income source
Name
Amount
Contact/benefits information
Pension
Public benefits (SSI,
unemployment insurance)
Social Security
Structured settlements
Veteran’s income
Other
Person completing this information:
Date completed:
_________________________________________________ __________________________
31
7. Professional advisors, guardian(s), personal representative(s), doctor(s), and dentist(s)
Advisor type
Name
Phone
Email
Address
Accountant/tax preparer
Attorney
Banker
Clergy
Dentist(s)
Doctor(s)
Specialists
Employer human resources
Person completing this information:
Date completed:
_________________________________________________ __________________________
32
professional advisors continued, next page
7. Professional advisors, guardian(s), personal representative(s), doctor(s), and dentist(s), cont.
Advisor type
Name
Phone
Email
Address
Financial planner
Guardian(s)
Insurance agent(s)
Investment advisor(s)
Personal representative(s)
Powers of attorney
Durable power of attorney
for health care
Durable power of attorney
Person completing this information:
Date completed:
_________________________________________________ __________________________
33
professional advisors continued, next page
7. Professional advisors, guardian(s), personal representative(s), doctor(s), and dentist(s), cont.
Advisor type
Name
Phone
Email
Trustee
Others
Person completing this information:
Date completed:
_________________________________________________ __________________________
34
Address
8. Account passwords*
Company/organization
Username
Strong password**
Last date changed
Web URL
* Do not forget to include passwords for digital assets, personal information that is stored electronically on either a personal computer or an online “cloud” server.
Anyone who uses e-mail, has a password protected cell phone, makes online purchases, pays bills online, or has social media accounts has digital assets.
**Using strong passwords on electronic files containing financial information is very important.
Microsoft provides a Password Checker website (https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/security/pc-security/password-checker.aspx) to help determine if a password is
strong. To achieve maximum strength, the Password Checker requires a password to have at least 14 characters containing at least one of each of the following types of
characters: an uppercase letter, a lowercase letter, a number, and a special character. As added security, most experts also recommend that passwords not contain your
username, real name, company name, or complete words; that each password be unique; and that all passwords be significantly different from previous passwords.
account passwords continued, next page
35
8. Account passwords, cont.
Company/organization
Username
Strong password
Last date changed
Web URL
account passwords continued, next page
36
8. Account passwords, cont.
Company/organization
Username
Strong password
Last date changed
Web URL
account passwords continued, next page
37
8. Account passwords, cont.
Company/organization
Username
Strong password
38
Last date changed
Web URL