Filing Checklist

This procedure will help you establish an efficient filing system.

1. Gather together all the items to be filed.
2. Have a box or wastebasket available for trash.
3. Get together some file folders, labels, and pens.
4. Start with the first item in your pile (or the first folder in your existing file) and determine it's value to you. If it doesn't have value, toss it.
5. If you want to keep it, determine a folder heading and label one. Put the paper in this folder and put the folder in your file cabinet. Examples of folder headings: household repairs, house documents, taxes 2005 (or whatever year it goes in), personal letters, medical records, warrantees, etc.
6. Next item, same process, with the difference being check your file cabinet to see if you already have a folder in which this paper belongs. Whenever possible, put it into an existing folder.
7. As you add folders to your file cabinet, put them in alphabetical order.
8. If you have more than one cabinet, create an index - a list of folders - it goes in a folder labeled "Index" at the beginning of the cabinet, and includes an index of all your cabinets.

Each time you use a folder, go through it briefly looking for documents you no longer need, these should be round-filed (trashed) right then. If you do this, your files will always be current and easily accessable.

More finance tips

• Permanent files What to store in your permanent file.
• Safe Deposit Box What to store in, and how to get, a safe deposit box.
• Filing Checklist How to develop a filing system, either to start a new one or improve your existing one.
• Other Files What to else to keep in files.
• Budget Keeping a budget.
• Medical Records What to keep, and what to do with medical records.
• Home Inventory Creating and maintaining a home inventory file.
• Car Purchases The most efficient use of your money when purchasing a car.
• Phone Book An organized personal phone book file system.
• Keeping Records Where to keep records.
• A home office Setting up a home office.
• Home Office Running a business from home.
• Banking Banking, savings, checking, and other bank accounts.
• Balance the checkbook How to balance a checkbook.
• Interest What interest can do for you or to you.
• Bad checks How much a bounced check really costs.
• Tax refund What to do about tax refunds, how to calculate what to have taken out for taxes during the year.
• Pay off debt How to get out of and stay out of debt.
• Cutting Expenses Ideas for reducing expenses as much as possible.
• Investing Making wise investments.
• Credit Cards Making wise use of credit cards.
• Debit Cards How to use debit cards.
• Finances and records Getting started with your finances and records.

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