Little did you know that today is the day you were going to acquire your very own personal financial organizer that we've coined the "Puzzle Keeper." Yes, it's a little throwback to the "Trapper Keeper" which epitomized education in the 80s and 90s. They were bursting at the seams with all of our secrets, homework, pencils, and report cards we never gave to our parents. I can still hear the Velcro-ripping chorus that signaled class was starting. But, now, we are adults. We don't need to organize our lives in binders held together with duct tape and prayers by Winter Break. Nope. Instead, we have stacks of unopened mail in a box on the counter that we only go through looking for a check that should have come in the mail last week.
We set out to give a solution to one of the most difficult areas of personal finance: organization. Our main objective was to organize all of the most important aspects of our lives in one handy place and also reference digital or items that can't fit in a box. If you are anything like us, our Trust Documents are in a different spot than the vehicle titles, which are in a different spot than our passports. And we haven't even mentioned the spare car keys or bank statements!
This is a tool for both you and whoever will be helping you in the future, including caring for your estate after you’re gone. It's an incredible gift to loved ones to have everything organized at a time that can feel very overwhelming in tasks and minutia.
Before you begin..
This is NOT meant to be done all in one sitting. Please don't let this be the end of our relationship. Tackling 1 topic, or even a couple pages per week, will get this "current" in just a few months.
This is never "Finished" as it can truly only be "Current." It's something that will require revisiting as your life changes. Set a reminder in the calendar to page through it for even 20 minutes every couple of months to keep this current. Tax season is also a great time to update while the rest of the documents are out.
Passwords: Our recommendation is to utilize a more secure system of keeping passwords than hand-writing them on these pages, but we did want to give the option for those who prefer that way. Alternatives would include secure digital solutions like LastPass or 1Password which allow 1 complicated master password to access all of your "current" passwords (as they change over time).
Legality - This does not replace your Will or Trust. These papers are for reference purposes only, and anything you want standing up to legal scrutiny needs to be addressed with your attorney.
Social and Other Online Accounts - With the increase in online accounts, it's often difficult for loved ones to gain access or know what to do with them. This could include online banks, email, or cloud storage as well, which you may want to pass on to loved ones.
