A few specific questions on paperwork organizing

[purstrength]

- Do I need to keep paperwork from old apartments?

- Social Security statements?

- Paperwork and registers from old bank accounts?

- Should I keep paperwork from a computer we returned last year?


Medical records....how do you organize yours? And how do you get your medical records? Do you ask for a copy each time you visit the doctor or what?

Thank you! :)

[Heather Micaela]

Well, I am pretty bad at paperwork stuff, but

- Do I need to keep paperwork from old apartments?
Depends on the kind, I think. The apartment rules like no waterbeds and dont park in the alleyway - likely not. rental agreements I might

- Social Security statements?
If you mean the annual thing that tells you how much you would get if you had to go on disability or how much you will get when you retire - I shred them. If you got SS for some reasons, I would save them.

- Paperwork and registers from old bank accounts?
Registers I shred. Statements I keep for 7 years

- Should I keep paperwork from a computer we returned last year?
I would toss it.

Medical records....how do you organize yours? And how do you get your medical records? Do you ask for a copy each time you visit the doctor or what?
Just shoved all in one file folder :blush

[purstrength]

Thank you, Heather. :) I got an external hard drive for Christmas, so I'm trying to get organized.

[Firebird Rising]

I still have a rental agreement from 1998 :blush

I keepway too many things and it haunts me.

Jen D.

[purstrength]

I have my first rental agreement from 2002...at what point is it okay to get rid of that?

Jen, would it help you to post specific things you aren't sure about like I did? :hug

[Heather Micaela]

Good info here:
http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/yf/fammgmt/he445w.htm

[JenLovie]

We don't keep a lot of paperwork. As far as medical records, I'm going to scan everything for my records and keep the hard copies organized in a notebook for doctors to make a copy as needed.

[purstrength]

How do you get your medical records to begin with? I don't go to the doctor often, but last time I went I attempted to ask for a copy of that day's records and I didn't get much. I know it didn't list everything for the visit. :shrug3

[blessedMom]

You can request a copy of all your records. You'll have to sign a release, then they copy everything. You may have to pay for postage, or return at a later date to pick it up. You can request records for your children, too.

[April G]

For the rental stuff, I would keep a list of all your addresses. I've had a number of instances when I had to list addresses from the last 3 years, or 5 years ,etc. :haha Like I"m going to remember that!

If you have closed the bank accounts, I would again just record the account #'s in case there's a reason you might need them later. One example where i needed an old bank account # was I hadn't used my paypal account in ages, and when i went to update it, they kept asking me for my bank account number as a security measure. :doh I had to close the account and open a new one to get around that issue.

I keep all medical records because I find myself going back to check dates, etc when I have issues (like when was the last time I had a yeast infection, or when did I get that surgery?). I usually just keep one file for each person in our family.

General rule of thumb is to keep the last 7 years worth of paystubs, SS records, etc in case of an audit. Anything older than that is not going to matter. If you sold property or had investments, you will want to keep those longer than 7 years.

If you no longer have the computer, no need to keep the receipt IMO. :shrug