TL;DR
Keep documents that would be hard to replace in a fireproof box, safe or bank safe deposit box. That includes car titles, birth certificates, passports and citizenship papers, property deeds, marriage and divorce papers, military discharge records and Social Security cards. Keep wills, trusts and powers of attorney out of a safe deposit box.
Dear Kathi,
My wife and I are having an argument about what papers should go, if any into the new fireproof box I just purchased. She feels that our tax returns, passports and kids school records should go in. I’m not convinced. Do we need to store all of these papers? If we do, I need to go buy a larger box.
Keith, Oceanside
Keith,
I am so glad that you purchased a fire box. I advise every client to purchase one if they don’t already have a safe or bank deposit box. Some documents are too valuable to stash in a filing cabinet or kitchen drawer. To decide what should be stowed in your new box, think about the level of difficulty endured to replace them if they were lost or damaged. Among them will be: Automobile titles. Birth certificates. Citizenship papers and passports. Deeds to property; mortgage notes. Marriage licenses and divorce decrees. Military discharge records. Social Security cards. Stock certificates, if your broker doesn’t keep them for you. Because some states restrict access to safe deposit boxes when the owner dies, these should NOT be stored in a safe deposit box: Powers of attorney. Wills and trusts.
Kathi is a professional organizer, image consultant and event planner based in San Diego California.
Please submit your questions to: [email protected]
San Diego Professional Organizer
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Frequently asked questions
What papers should go in a fireproof box?
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Think about how hard each document would be to replace if it were lost or damaged. Kathi lists car titles, birth certificates, citizenship papers and passports, property deeds and mortgage notes, marriage licenses and divorce decrees, military discharge records, Social Security cards, and stock certificates if your broker does not keep them.
Do I need a fireproof box at all?
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Kathi advises every client to buy one if they don’t already have a safe or a bank safe deposit box. Some documents are too valuable to keep in a filing cabinet or kitchen drawer.
Why shouldn’t I keep my will in a safe deposit box?
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Some states restrict access to a safe deposit box when the owner dies. Wills, trusts and powers of attorney should not be stored there, so the people who need them can reach them.
