Presented by Emily Promise
Each year, people embark on the journey of tidying up their homes. They break out the gloves and the lemon-scented cleaners and begin emptying their refrigerators, clearing out their closets, and scrubbing their baseboards. But, they often skip some of the essential items – their financial clutter.
It’s time to do some spring cleaning for your finances. Not sure where to start? Here are three quick tips to eliminate and organize your financial clutter:
Throw out old paperwork, statements, etc.
We all think that someday we will need all the documents we have shoved into a filing cabinet. But how many times have you ever returned those documents? I’ll venture a guess that you haven’t. Some items, such as tax documents, are essential to hold onto for a given time, but many others can be safely discarded. We have a helpful resource to reference what to keep and what to shred.
Make a list of your financial accounts – all assets and liabilities.
Take time to review this list, cancel unused membership/subscriptions, close out old credit cards, and consolidate any old 401(k)s or investment accounts. Having less to keep track of will give you more energy and time to devote to what’s left, and you may even be able to set aside the savings into your investment accounts or emergency funds!
Create a central location for all items you truly need to keep
If documents, such as Social Security cards, marriage certificates, etc., are essential to keep, it is vital to know where they can be located when the time comes to access these items. Therefore, identify or create one safe location where all these critical documents are stored. Then, you and anyone else who may need to access them in an emergency know how to locate and identify them readily.
While we all have some degree of financial clutter, these steps should set you up for success in avoiding and alleviating some in your own home.
This material has been provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute either tax or legal advice. Although we go to great lengths to ensure our information is accurate and useful, we recommend you consult a tax preparer, professional tax advisor, or lawyer.
Engage with the entire Blakely Financial team at WWW.BLAKELYFINANCIAL.COM to see what other financial tips we can provide towards your financial well-being.
Blakely Financial, Inc. is an independent financial planning and investment management firm that provides clarity, insight, and guidance to help our clients attain their financial goals.
Securities and advisory services offered through Commonwealth Financial Network, Member FINRA/SIPC, a Registered Investment Adviser.