Clutter happens to anyone. While younger generations are used to storing papers online or on thumb drives, your mom and dad are probably used to saving important papers in filing cabinets. When your parents have pack rat tendencies, getting financial and other important papers can be a challenge.
May 17th’s National Pack Rat Day is a good time to go through their papers and get organized. Help them figure out what papers are essential and what papers can be shredded and/or recycled. These tips will get you started.
Store Income Taxes for Seven Years
Income taxes should be stored for seven years. This includes the tax forms and all supporting documents like donation receipts, W-2s, property tax forms, and 1099s. Ideally, your parents want them in a fire-proof locking box or safe.
Store Property Records Until You Move
Keep property records until your mom and dad move. If your parents lived in a home for 50 years, they still want to keep them. This includes things like building permits, blueprints, and any improvements they’ve made over the years.
If they downsize, they could transfer some of those documents to the new buyer if it’s recommended. Deeds and mortgage paperwork can be shredded once they’ve moved into a new home and a year has passed. This way, if the new buyer questions anything, your mom and dad have proof that permits were acquired or the town/state said permits were unnecessary.
Store Bills Until Payment Clears
For things like electricity bills, phone bills, and cable/internet bills, store copies of them until the payment clears. Once your parents have proof the payment has cleared, you can shred them. If there is a question about a missing payment, your mom or dad can access your bank records online to prove the payment cleared.
One of the reasons your parents need to stay organized is to prevent oversight when it comes to paying bills. If they’re disorganized and have too much paper clutter, it’s easier to overlook something. Once your parents have their papers thinned out, it’s a good time to hire elderly care.
A caregiver can help them sort mail, decide what to save and what to recycle, and make sure bills are paid on time. Caregivers help keep clutter from building once you’ve worked with your parents to get their papers sorted and stored properly. Learn more by calling an elderly care agency and asking about services that help with organization.
If You Or An Aging Loved One Are Considering Hiring Elderly Care in Pinellas Park, FL, Please Contact The Caring Staff At Assisting Hands Home Care Today! 727-748-4211.
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Becky Moultrie is Owner and Administrator of Assisting Hands Home Care Serving Pinellas. Guided by a motto to Do Good with Love, she’s well positioned to do just that at Assisting Hands. She has a passion for helping families keep seniors and those who are diabled happy and healthy at home. She serves on a number of boards in Pinellas County including the Pinellas Park Gateway Chamber and Better Living Seniors (BLS), leading the Membership Committee. Annually, she hosts a Silver Santa Party, collecting donations for nearly 100 low income seniors in the county. She attends Blessed Sacrament Church, Seminole where she is an Ascribed Member of the Rosminian Order. When not busy Doing Good in the community, Becky is at home with her husband David & their 4 children, tending to their beehives and digging in the garden.
