Hello and welcome to a special joint episode of Get It Done guys, quick and dirty tips to work less and do more,

and legal ads quick and dirty tips for a more lawful life.

But first, a disclaimer.

Although I'm an attorney, the legal information of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for seeking personalized legal advice from an attorney license to practice in your jurisdiction. Further, I do not intend to create an attorney-client relationship with any listener.

This is Stevea Robbins, host of the Get a Done guy. Cammy from Chicago wrote in,

I'm a bit of a paper hoarder. I mean well, but I don't want to lose any important records.

My problem is I don't know when to purge these records. I've heard lots of

conflicting information about what to purge and when. I'm hoping that you could set the record street.

We all have tons of crap lying around. Which do you keep and which can you toss? And what's the

best way to store these docks? And how long do you have to keep everything? To begin, there are

several documents that you should keep safe and keep forever.

These documents are relevant to claiming benefits and other legal rights.

First, keep all birth, marriage, divorce, and death certificates.

These documents are needed for government benefits, remarriage, and many immigration proceedings.

You should store them somewhere

very safe, even if it is not convenient to retrieve them. This is because you will rarely

need them, but when you do, you must have the originals in many instances. Medical records. I recommend

that you keep a copy of any medical records you have regarding immunizations,

hospitalizations, and prescriptions.

Your doctor has a copy of your most recent files, but things like immunizations are not as likely.

Also, if the doctor's office burns down, you will not have these records.

Documents related to public benefits.

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