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Organizing your Personal and Family Records

Covenant Trust

Organized Personal Family Records

Over the years, you’ve probably collected a lot of “stuff”, right? But do you know what you have? Where it’s all located? What’s important? What’s not important? How long do you need to keep it?

Use the following as a guideline to help you get and keep your important information personal and family records safe and organized.

PERSONAL and FAMILY RECORDS
What?
Where?
How long?
Birth, marriage and death certificates Safe deposit box or fireproof home storage Permanently
Adoption and custody papers Safe deposit box or fireproof home storage Permanently
Citizenship papers Safe deposit box or fireproof home storage Permanently
Divorce and separation papers Safe deposit box or fireproof home storage Permanently
Military papers Safe deposit box or fireproof home storage Permanently
Will Safe deposit box (if jointly rented); copy with spouse or executor Until a new one is made
Living will; durable power of attorney for health care; values dialogue Home file, safe deposit box, copies with agents, family members and primary physician Permanently
Update as needed
Passports Safe deposit box or fireproof home storage Until replaced
Social security card Home file (locked) Permanently
Diplomas, transcripts Home file Permanently
Medical history and records Home file Permanently
Update as needed
Employment records Home file Permanently
Valuable documents inventory Home file; copy with executor or family member Permanently
Update as needed

© 2025 Covenant Trust.  All Rights Reserved. 

February 3, 2020

Disclaimer

The information provided is general in nature, educational and is not a substitute for individual, professional, investment, tax, or legal advice. Consult your personal tax and/or legal advisor for specific information. Covenant Trust is incorporated in the State of Illinois and is supervised by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Covenant Trust accounts are not federally insured by any government agency. Clients may lose principal as a result of investment losses. Kanter Tax and Trust Consulting is also not responsible for losses sustained by anyone relying on this information as personal counsel and assumes no obligation to inform the user of any changes in tax laws or other factors that could affect the information contained in this article.

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By clicking the link below you will be leaving the Covenant Trust website. The destination site is operated by a third-party contracted by Covenant Trust to provide account information to our clients. While Covenant Trust works to provide the most accurate and current information, the destination site is ultimately operated and maintained by a third-party, and while Covenant Trust believes the information to be generally reliable, it makes no guarantees as to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of the third-party website. If you notice anything that looks incorrect, please contact Covenant Trust at 800-483-2177.

Covenant Trust works with partners with sound privacy protection policies and practices. No entity is immune from the threat of a data breach, and for that reason, Covenant Trust encourages users to be mindful of that fact when entering data on any website. Finally, Covenant Trust is not liable for any technical or system-related issues arising out of your access to the third-party site.

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Covenant Trust logo
By clicking the link below you will be leaving the Covenant Trust website. The destination site is operated by a third-party contracted by Covenant Trust to provide account information to our clients. While Covenant Trust works to provide the most accurate and current information, the destination site is ultimately operated and maintained by a third-party, and while Covenant Trust believes the information to be generally reliable, it makes no guarantees as to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of the third-party website. If you notice anything that looks incorrect, please contact Covenant Trust at 800-483-2177.

Covenant Trust works with partners with sound privacy protection policies and practices. No entity is immune from the threat of a data breach, and for that reason, Covenant Trust encourages users to be mindful of that fact when entering data on any website. Finally, Covenant Trust is not liable for any technical or system-related issues arising out of your access to the third-party site.

Continue

Covenant Trust logo

By clicking the link below you will be leaving the Covenant Trust website. The destination site is operated by a third-party contracted by Covenant Trust to provide account information to our clients. While Covenant Trust works to provide the most accurate and current information, the destination site is ultimately operated and maintained by a third-party, and while Covenant Trust believes the information to be generally reliable, it makes no guarantees as to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of the third-party website. If you notice anything that looks incorrect, please contact Covenant Trust at 800-483-2177.

Covenant Trust works with partners with sound privacy protection policies and practices. No entity is immune from the threat of a data breach, and for that reason, Covenant Trust encourages users to be mindful of that fact when entering data on any website. Finally, Covenant Trust is not liable for any technical or system-related issues arising out of your access to the third-party site.

Continue

Covenant Trust logo

By clicking the link below you will be leaving the Covenant Trust website. The destination site is operated by a third-party contracted by Covenant Trust to provide account information to our clients. While Covenant Trust works to provide the most accurate and current information, the destination site is ultimately operated and maintained by a third-party, and while Covenant Trust believes the information to be generally reliable, it makes no guarantees as to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of the third-party website. If you notice anything that looks incorrect, please contact Covenant Trust at 800-483-2177.

Covenant Trust works with partners with sound privacy protection policies and practices. No entity is immune from the threat of a data breach, and for that reason, Covenant Trust encourages users to be mindful of that fact when entering data on any website. Finally, Covenant Trust is not liable for any technical or system-related issues arising out of your access to the third-party site.

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