FINANCIAL RECORD INFORMATION

Your financial future can only be in focus if you have developed a financial plan. The “nuts & bolts” of your financial plan will depend on your accurate records providing the details of your life. That’s why your records should be as individual as you are. This list will help you gather your “nuts & bolts” to build a foundation for budgeting, investing, planning for college, looking toward retirement or estate planning. Your records should include:

• Full, legal name
• Social Security number
• Legal residence
• Date and place of birth
• Names and address of spouse and children (location of death certificates if deceased)
• Location of will or trust
• Location of birth certificate and marriage, divorce & citizenship certificates
• List of employers and dates of employment
• Education and military records
• Religious affiliation (name of church or synagogue)
• Memberships in organizations and awards received
• Names and addresses of relatives, close friends, doctors, lawyers or financial advisers
• Requests, preferences, or prearrangements for burial

Keep these records in one secure place, and make sure that a family member or friend knows the exact location of your records file. Along with your records you should provide information about insurance policies, bank accounts, deeds, investments and other valuables to insure that all of your assets can be found when the need arises. Recheck to be certain all the following information is in one convenient place:

• Sources of income and assets (pension funds, interest income, etc.)
• Social Security and Medicare information
• Insurance information (life, health and property with policy numbers)
• Bank accounts (even credit union)
• Location of safe deposit boxes
• Copy of most recent income tax return
• List of liabilities (to whom and when is it due)
• Mortgages and debt (including how and when payments are paid)
• Credit card and charge account names and numbers
• Property tax records
• Location of personal items (jewelry & family treasures)

Having all this information organized will help you meet the challenges of your later years and assist you with intelligent decisions today.

Lynn Siewert is the Principal of Advanced Corporate Planning and Branch Manager of the Vancouver, Washington Office of Supervisory Jurisdiction, Licensed through First Allied Securities, Inc. Member NASD/SIPC