Documents to Keep in Your Safe Deposit Box

A safe deposit box can be rented at a local bank or credit union relatively cheaply, starting at around $20 for a 3x5x22 box. Be sure to call around because I found that the prices and policies can vary greatly from one bank to another.

Here are the types of items and documents that we personally keep in our safe deposit box:

Originals of Important Family Documents - Social Security cards, birth certificates, marriage license, etc.

List of Account Numbers & Balances - I update this list quarterly and put the new copy in my safe deposit box, so that our accounts could be accessed in case of our death. I do not keep a copy of this information on my computer; I delete it and re-type it each time (a template is kept on my computer). I include my account numbers, balances, online banking ID's & passwords, and such information that would need to be accessed by anyone resuming responsibility for our finances. This includes deposit accounts as well as credit cards or other debts, if you have them. Don't forget about PayPal, eBay, ClickBank, and other streams of income that your family members may not know how to access.

Backup CD of Digital Photos & Important Computer Documents - I keep all of our backups in the safe deposit box in case we have a fire or my computer bites the dust. You would also want to keep photo negatives in the safe deposit box.

Copy of Your Will - It is very important, particularly if you have young children, to draft a will, even if you don't think you have a lot financially. This can be done cheaply through US Legal Forms.

Insurance Information - Keep originals of all types of insurance paperwork in your safe deposit box and a copy at home.

Current Credit Reports - Print out a copy every 4 months from a different reporting agency (there are 3 of them, and they each permit an annual viewing of your report free of charge), and store it in your safe deposit box. Be sure to correct errors promptly.

Deeds & Titles - Keep the deeds and titles for your vehicles, home, boats, land, etc. in your safe deposit box. Always keep a copy in your files at home, too.

Anything Else Your Family Would Need to Know in the Event of Your Passing - For example, in my safe deposit box I have instructions on how and where I pay my monthly bills (since I'm the chief bookkeeper in the house!), how to renew my website domain, and all of my affiliate information for online streams of income. My husband would have no clue where to find all of this, if anything happened to me!

I am no expert on safe deposit boxes, but this is just a basic guide for basic people like me. Please do not procrastinate at making sure your business is taken care of! We have no promise of tomorrow, regardless of our age, health, or financial status. Heaven forbid that a tragedy occur in your family, but if it does... try to make it as easy on your family as possible by having your insurance, will, and safe deposit box in place.