Missed the other posts in this series? Read them here.
Guest post from Mandy White
Today, we are going to work on Financial & Other Accounts. The “Other Accounts” refers to accounts you may have that don’t require a monthly payment, such as email, Costco, or the library.
Again, we are working with very sensitive information, so only use a secure computer, or hand-write your information.
Banks
Bank contact information, closest location, bank routing number
List of all accounts with full account number, website, log-in information, and answers to security questions
Note: I found it easiest to put all accounts with each particular bank on one page, such as credit union accounts on one page, ING accounts on another page.
Any other bank information (like safe-deposit boxes)
Debit Cards / Credit Cards
List of all debit cards. For each one, list:
Bank and account the card is for
Description of card (ie: blue and gold with the bank logo on it)
Account number
Security code (on the back)
PIN
Major backing company (ie: Visa or Master Card)
Emergency phone number (usually on the back)
Website, log-in information, and answers to security questions
Copy of the front and back of the card
Bills
List of all bill accounts. For each one, list:
Company name and contact information
Account number
Website, log-in information, answers to security questions, and online bill pay information
Copy of your typical monthly budget
Income, Retirement, and Investments
Sources of income, pay frequency, company contact information, Payroll/HR contact information
List of all retirement accounts
Company name and contact information
Account number
Website, log-in information, answers to security questions
Most recent account statement
All pertinent information regarding non-retirement investments, including most recent account statements, list of property holdings, etc.
Other Accounts or Memberships
List of all other accounts or memberships
Note: Basically, if it requires a user name and password, and you haven’t already listed it somewhere else in the book, then it goes on this list. I found it easiest to create one spreadsheet with 5 columns: Company, Account Number, Website, User
Name, Password. Everything from email to the library are listed alphabetically on this one sheet.
Professional Service Contacts:
Professional services contacts (accountant, lawyer, financial adviser, insurance agent, etc.)
The Big Three
Contact information for Equifax, Transunion, and Experian
Copy of most recent credit report from annualcreditreport.com
Note: Most financial professionals advise getting one credit report every four months, using AnnualCreditReport.com. This way, you can monitor your credit report throughout the year. I found it hard to remember when I needed to check it again, so I started writing it on the calendar. Be sure to note which company’s report you are checking during which month.
Any other Big Three documents (ie: Fraud Alert letters, etc.)
Income Tax Information
Copy of your most recent tax return
PIN’s for signing returns electronically
Any tax information or documents collected throughout the year
If you like, you may download a printable version of this index (for personal use only).
Tomorrow, we will start the Property section.
Mandy White is blessed to be a stay-at-home wife and mother. She and her amazing husband have three amazing kids. She loves to serve others, and her favorite time of year is fall. Unfortunately, in Arizona, fall doesn’t start until November!
Question for someone :-)…..Which part is the section and which parts are the subsection? Should I have a cover page for Personal & Family Information and then tabs for Whole Family, Indviduals, etc..?
Thanks for the pictures. Another tip for checking your credit reports is to rotate your requests throughout the year. We use a three-month rotating schedule.
By requesting your free reports throughout the year, you can check your report for any unusual activity. Identity fraud is the fastest growing crime in America, so staying proactive will save you money, energy, and time. 🙂 Loving this series.
The rotating schedule is found here: http://usingtimewisely.com/credit-report-schedule/.
Is anyone else freaking out about the idea of someone finding this information or somehow losing this? It seems like a huge amount of what is suppose to be secure information, especially to include your PIN and security codes from the backs of those cards. It’s like your giving the information away. I attempted to create such a notebook a few years ago before my husband stopped me and said that this would have to be kept in a fireproof safe. Since we didn’t have one at the time, I abandoned the idea.
I would highly suggest that someone who creates a notebook like this make it secure somehow. At the very least, don’t label the notebook “financial information” or make tabs that give that away. In an age of identity theft that ruins peoples lives, be smart about where you store this stuff. The “new” thief is not looking to steal your dvd player or your tv set. He wants your life.
Sorry to put a damper on what is otherwise a good series. I’ve experienced some theft personally and have family members whose checkbooks were left on the counter and electronics untouched, but the drawers in the desk were rifled through. Scary. Be safe.
Yes, don’t leave this on your kitchen counter with your kid’s artwork. A fireproof safe bolted to the ground that has a key and a code is the way to go!
I also keep one little wallet of each professional picture of my kids in a little album in there along with a DVD of computer files including pictures I have taken. And we have an amount of cash in case of emergency in there as well. Very much worth it!
NaDell, there are many places where you can archive your photos online. Safe from fire, flood, media failure, etc. The fee is more than worth it.
Susan, this is so off topic, but what do you use for photo storage? I’ve been trying to figure out an easier way than burning discs and putting them in a safe, but I’m also nervous about trusting someone else with all my precious photos.
I also have my pictures on Picasa. It’s pretty easy to make a DVD of pictures and files and stick it in the safe I already own. I’d feel kind of dumb if I didn’t slip it in there and lost them all. I don’t like to pay any fees. My husband sometimes takes a DVD to his office too just so they are in a few places.
Ashlea, yes, I had the same reaction. It’s great to keep your financial information organized and accessible to you, but I think that keeping every bit of personal, security-related information in one place like this is a bad bad idea.
Memorize your pin’s, and don’t have your computer remember them for you. If you access your accounts regularly and type in the passwords each time, you will remember them.
Susan: That’s great. Until you forget the PIN.
I had a program on my Palm that I kept some details inside. Password protected. I accessed it for YEARS with no problems. Then one day I forgot my password. I never was able to get back into it.
I’ve never heard of an online financial site, store, social media site, anything that requires a PIN or password that is not retrievable. They can help you reset your password if necessary.
The trouble is that if something terrible happens, if only you know passwords or which accounts you have or so many other things, it’s a huge hassle to figure it all out later for your relatives who are likely mourning or taking care of you in the hospital or something.
That is actually one of the main reasons I created this. In the event of identity theft, then you need to quickly be able to find all of this information so you can get in touch with companies. And yes, a firesafe is extremely important so it can be protected!!! I would never suggest you leave it out in the open!
Reading this totally stresses me out. I think that’s because I know I really need to DO IT. Sigh.
Hang in there, and take small bites. It is a bit overwhelming, but totally worth it!
Thanks for these posts! Now I just need to do them…! 🙂
And as a note- the “click here” at the top of the post isn’t an active link.
Whoops! I forgot to add that in! Thanks for the reminder. 🙂
I’m so glad you like them! Remember, you don’t have to do everything at once. I have worked on my notebook for years. An easy way to do this is to print out the full index (see the link at the bottom of the post), and then go down the list, working on one section per day until you are done. If you do that, it will take about a month, but it will get done.
Thanks for the encouragement! 🙂
This is not exactly on topic, but I wanted to tell you that it is so refreshing to see someone refer to a PIN as just that – PIN, not PIN number. This stands for Personal Identification Number, yet so very many people say “PIN number.” Same with ATM – it stands for Automated Teller Machine – no need to say “ATM machine!”
And UPC Code — ug!
I’m picky about the whole PIN and PIN number thing, too! I don’t always remember myself, but when I do notice, it bugs me. 🙂
I love this series…I have a few things put together, but this is a great reminder of who to get it ALL TOGETHER! By the way, I also get an annual report for free, but like you I seemed to forget too. I changed it so that I pull/print the report sometime during my birthday month as not to forget. (I have my annual physical and mammogram done that same month as not forget it either, but that is for another series! LOL! 😉 )
I am so glad you are liking it!