Here's how to manage your financial documents properly:
1 Keep a backup:
Prepare a list of all important financial documents and share with your spouse or anyone else in the family in a paper or email.
2 Update list
: Keep this list updated all the time. This could be list on a piece of paper or a digital copy on your laptop.
3 Protection wise:
Store physical copies/papers in a safe place, away from termite, sunlight, moisture, and away from kids. Lock them up safely. Store loose sheets of paper in moisture-proof bags (eg: zip-pouch) or get the papers laminated.
4 Categorise:
Keep papers of a similar type in separate folders. For instance, keep all insurance policy papers in one folder, all property papers in one, and fixed deposit papers in one.
5 Digital safety:
Digitise (or scan) all papers and keep a digital copy on the internet as backup. If you have stored them on laptop or pen drives, always keep them in a password-protected document.