What's Your Excuse? Break Down Your Money Barriers
Diminish. When I'm cleaning out my closet, I get rid of anything I haven't worn in the last two years. With paperwork, the rules vary. Here's a cheat sheet:
What else can you do quickly, cheaply and easily?
- Toss immediately: Credit card solicitations; marketing material included in bank and credit card statements.
- Throw out after one month: ATM receipts; prospectuses and other information about investments you're considering; receipts for purchases, assuming you're keeping them or there's no warranty.
- Throw out after one year: Bank statements; brokerage statements; cell phone, cable, telephone and Internet statements (except when deducting for work-related expenses); credit card bills; pay stubs; social security statements; utility bills.
- Throw out after seven years: Childcare records; flexible spending account documentation; 401(k) and other retirement plan year-end statements; IRA contributions; purchase records for investments; records of charitable donations; records on houses you've sold; tax returns and backup documentation.
- Keep as long as you have the underlying asset: Insurance policies; receipts for important purchases; receipts for renovations or other investments made in your property; titles; warranty papers.
- Keep forever: Adoption papers; appraisals; birth certificates; citizenship papers; custody agreements; deeds; divorce papers; financial aid documents; military records; powers of attorney (medical and financial); stock certificates; wills/living wills.
What else can you do quickly, cheaply and easily?
- Pay your bills online. It saves you time, money and clutter. You can schedule certain repetitive bills to be paid every month and easy enter variable bills as they come.
- Remove yourself from the junk mail lists. Send a letter or postcard with your name, home address and signature to:
Mail Preference Service
Direct Marketing Association
P.O. Box 643
Carmel, NY 10512 - Create a place for receipts. Make a compartment in your wallet into the holding pen for receipts you need for expense records or tax purposes.
Keep Reading
Please note: This is general information and is not intended to be legal advice. You should consult with your own financial advisor before making any major financial decisions, including investments or changes to your portfolio, and a qualified legal professional before executing any legal documents or taking any legal action. Harpo Productions, Inc., OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, Discovery Communications LLC and their affiliated companies and entities are not responsible for any losses, damages or claims that may result from your financial or legal decisions.
Follow
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
