If you are one of those people who dreads tax time each year because of the hassle of getting your records together, it is time to put an end to that. It may not be tax time yet, but this is now the time to prepare and get ready for it. This year, make getting those tax records and other documentation a priority as well as a goal, and one you will accomplish. You make getting your records in order and keeping it that way by using a proper, efficient and effective filing system. Implementing Paper Tiger Filing System Software for document management will help you can carry the momentum forward once set up so that it will be easy to maintain your document management as well as be able to find anything in your office in 5 seconds or less.
Too many people keep their documents stacked up and unorganized which makes it difficult to make sense of or find the files when the need arises. For taxes and legal documentation, it is vital to keep these records well organized. Not only does it help for upcoming filings, it is essential in times of audits. Keep your past, present and future documents, receipts, and other crucial records so that you can file taxes, deal with audits or be prepared for subpoenas. The more organized your records, the easier this will be.
The best thing you can do for yourself is set up an effective indexing filing system. A traditional alphabetical filing system alone will still leave you frazzled and feeling overwhelmed. A lot of paper files are miscellaneous and difficult to think of that one or two word file name to put on the hanging file folder tab, so you’re afraid you won’t find it again if you file it. And the stacks just get larger. Or you forget that you’ve filed a similar document under one file name and so you create a duplicate hanging file under a different name. But once you set up your indexing system, your filing system method will be that much easier to use.
Indexing systems enable you to find all your records in a matter of seconds, saving you so much time and effort. You would first set up all hanging file folders in your file cabinets at one time using the numbered tabs that you print out from the software and they never change. You type in information relating to each document in the Paper Tiger’s database file location. Paper Tiger assigns the file number to the document or set of relating documents that you want to put in the same hanging file folder. You can give the document any name you want without any worry about finding it later. This is because the system will allow you to tag keywords that describe all documents that you put in your hanging file folders. For documents that you want to add to the same file, simply edit the Item and add additional keywords necessary for the new document(s).
When you’ve converted your filing system to Paper Tiger’s indexing method, and you need to find a file later, you simply conduct a Google-like search in the database for whatever keyword you’re thinking on that day to find where your file is located.
One thing very few people realize is how long they should keep certain records. Be it documentation for your personal life or professional life, you have to keep some of those records around. Of course, by using an indexing filing system, you can make a plan for how long your records should be kept, and when you know when the paper files can be tossed, it will be easier to declutter your life. There are certain documents you must keep and others which are optional and certainly up to what you want to keep and for how long. So when you know when a file could or should be tossed, then it will save you time in the long run.
Income tax returns and payment checks for example, should be kept, always. You should also plan on keeping stock records, retirement and pension records, as well as legal documents forever, just to name a few. Some records that you should hold on to for a minimum of six years are purchase records, supporting documents for tax returns such as receipts, and accident reports and claims. Again, this is just a short list from a wide range of documents you should keep filed away for at least six years.
For a three-year period, some records you may want to keep include credit card statements, medical bills and any expired insurance policies. Other records you should check on before disposing of. Of course you may also have documents you want to keep. Car records, for example, you would keep until you sell or get rid of the automobile. Also, things like property records should be kept, even for a period following the sale of the land or property.
See our other articles with specific lists for what you should keep and for how long under Retention Guidelines: How long should you keep records?
The bottom line is, when you get organized it makes it that much easier to stay organized. Declutter your life with Paper Tiger Filing System Software for document management to help make sense of it all. Don’t put it off any longer – simplify your life and organize your home or office by getting started on this project right away.
Tags: Declutter, Document Management, document management system, get organized, paper filing systems, Paper Tiger "finding" filing system, records retention
