Important List of Records

Here are some suggestions on different records you need to get a hold of and to back up digitally.  Don’t just limit yourself to this list.  You might have more, but this should cover the basis.

Birth Records

Birth certificates are very important when applying for different things.  Trust me, I know since I sometimes help out at the law office with immigration status.  If you ever lose either your birth records or your children’s; you can always order them online as well.  Don’t expect them to overnight it to you.  There is usually a 4 week minimum wait.

Death Records

Life insurance companies won’t be able to process life insurance claims without a certified copy of the death certificate.  It’s a good idea to order a few and to scan a copy for your future records.  You never know when you’ll need to refer to the date & the cause of death.

Marriage Records

Same thing as above applies.  Along with the marriage license, it’s also a great idea to attach any church papers to these records.  For us, it was all documents signed by our priest and witnesses.

Divorce Records

If you ever decide you want to get remarried, most churches and county clerk’s offices will require your public divorce records and annulment.

Driver’s license, Social Security Card, and Passport

Remember to not only scan copies of these numbers but you should also put them in some type of a spreadsheet.  I love Microsoft Excel.  Google has a free one, but I’ve never tried it before.  Don’t forget to encrypt the Excel file.  It’s nice to be organized with one file to look at, then to open up 20 pdf files just to find a particular number.