System for personal docs

Yes, but of course if you are storing things like financial details you need very strong password protection and/or a good safe!

A metal document box that contains all our legal documents and printouts with all our financial details listed.

I see no need for a good safe as there are no valuables in the box. Yes, an intruder could come in and walk of it, but we have an intruder alarm and our experience to date is that intruders scarper rapidly when an alarm goes off.

Before the alarm we had a breakdown and the intruder was after cash and valuables that could rapidly be turned to cash. He certainly wasn't interested in financial details that could after hours or days of work possibly deliver richer returns.

I have a spreadsheet showing what money I have and I update it regularly. It is in the front of a file which has all the certificates, pass books etc. in order behind it. At the back are details of my pensions, valuables etc.

I just have 2 lever arch files. One for personal stuff like bank details savings account etc and the other with all bills and other expenses/ outgoings. My youngest daughter knows how to access the bank account as she set up all the passwords. She also knows the password for anything else on line. I showed my other daughter where it all was when she visited recently. My will is kept in the personal file but they both know what the will says anyway

Thanks. My stuff is in different places. A metal box seems like a good idea. Also giving my children the passwords is something I had not thought of. I guess this a good idea as they can access the money without waiting for probate.

In the safe, which has a password all the children know. Inside all our important documents and my ' good jewellery' (the safe is enormous - not!). In the safe are instructions to access investments, bank accounts, pensions etc!

All important documents and jewellery are kept in the safe. Bank statements and certificates are kept in files which have labels on the spines.

I favour the 'first available horizontal space' method of filing...

You are all so organised. I side more with feetlebaum although I do have a filing shelf in which all sorts of paper is shoved and sorted once in a blue moon. Only found out this week that the company that stores our wills moved to Newcastle 10 years ago as their notification went to our old address and our change of address went to their old address. If it wasn't for "Google" we would never have found them.

feetlebaum

I'm a bit the same. It goes from the coffee table to the letter rack then to the spare room with the intention of filing it in the large filing cabinet which has labelled files. I don't have anything on the computer.

feetlebaum - my system exactly. If I leave them long enough on the horizontal surface, they can go straight to the shredder.

All kept in a bottom drawer in order of importance passwords etc given to my boys with all the household details etc.
The girls know what they are getting so no worries there we have a medical box thingy in the fridge which tells anyone who comes in for an emergency where everything is kept available at all doctors surgery's I think.

littleflo I think your daughters would still have to wait for probate, depending on your bank's policy. The deceased's accounts are frozen as at the date of death.

www.housingcare.org/information/detail-2049-instructions-for-my-nextofkin-and-executors-upon-my-death.aspx

This website has an excellent link to a printable form with information for your next of kin. From medical and personal details, information about the whereabouts of birth certificate, insurance details and all sorts of other information.

My filing system is very basic.
Two wicker boxes underneath the bed containing manilla folders.
Each folder is clearly labelled with what it contains i.e. bank accounts, financial details, house deeds, house insurance, car insurance, Wills, Birth Certificates, Marriage Certificate(s), Decree Absolute (s).....etc etc..... absolutely everything they could possibly need. DC know about these boxes and know basically what the Wills state.

We have a whole load of box files on a shelf in a building that I suppose could be called an annexe. I think it's safer out there, away from quite so many potential fire hazards.