Make the One New Years Resolution You Can Keep: Organize Your Important Documents Now!

The article discusses how dealing with unexpected events is simply a part of life, but the secret to handling challenges is to organize important documents before an event occurs. The article then asks questions that help break down the organizing process into easily-managed fact-gathering sessions where the whole family can help.

Make the One New Years
Resolution You Can Keep:
Organize Your Important Documents Now!

By Claudette E. Paäge, President
Paäge et Cie, Business & Personal Management Services, Ltd.

No one likes to think about it, but dealing with unexpected events is simply a part of life. Have you ever noticed how some people seem to handle lifes challenges better than others? Let me tell you a little secret: these people know the value of organizing their important documents before an unexpected event occurs.

This is the time of year when we make New Years resolutions. An important and easy resolution to keep is to organize your important documents! This resolution will give you and your loved ones security and peace of mind. By organizing your important documents now, you can be prepared for any event.

It is better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret.
- Jackie Joyner Kersee

In an emergency, rather than searching your home or office for vital information you need, youll have all of this information organized in one, easy-to-find location. This way you can focus on the event or emergency at hand. What a relief to be able to know exactly where to find medical and insurance information, burial papers, real estate deeds, safe deposit keys or a will!

Although it may take some time, it is not difficult to gather and organize your important information. Thats why its so important to start right now. The trick is to break down the process into easily-managed fact-gathering sessions where your whole family can get involved.

Here are a few questions for you and your family to ask yourselves:

Home

Do you have personal information on every member of your family?
Have you made a complete inventory of the contents of your home and any offsite storage facilities you rent or own?

Health

Do you have detailed medical histories for each member of your family?
Do you have an up-to-date, accurate list of prescriptions for yourself and anyone else under your care?

Assets

Do you have an up-to-date list of all of your assets and liabilities?
Do you periodically review all of your insurance needs to make sure they fulfill your needs?

Estate Planning

Do you have a will? If so, is it updated to reflect life changing events such as marriage, birth, divorce or death of a beneficiary? Where is the original located?
Have you reviewed the beneficiary designations on all of your insurance policies and pension plans?

Taxes

Do you have a file that holds all of your tax-related documents throughout the year?
Have you filed your tax returns for the past three to seven years in a permanent location?

Travel

Do you have your passport & important papers accessible in case of an emergency?
Are you familiar with your insurance and credit card company coverage regarding provisions for overseas medical emergencies and evacuations?

My booklet, No Time Like Now, A Fifteen-Minute Guide to Organizing Your Life,
contains detailed information, tips and numerous resources to help you with this process so when lifes next emergency arrives at your door -- youre ready for it! Order a copy of the booklet at www.paageetcie.com .

Claudette E. Paäge, of Paäge et Cie, Business & Personal Management Services, Ltd., a Scarsdale, New York-based organizational and eldercare management company, helps individuals and businesses worldwide achieve and maintain balance in their lives by providing hands-on organizational and management services. A former banker, Ms. Paäge combines her extensive financial and professional experience to turn her companys motto, we organize all facets of your lives," into reality for her clients. Ms. Paäge has been featured in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal among other nationally known publications. For additional information, call us at (914) 725-0343 or email:claudette@paageetcie.com