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Keeping Your Life Organized from page 1 Safe Deposit Box School transcripts: Keep your original transcript; licensure application processes and employers may require them. Make a few copies to file with the original so you're ready to go if anyone should request them. If you are just graduating, ask to receive two additional sealed copies of your transcripts for future needs. Also save your diploma or graduation certificates, and any information regarding how many hours you completed in each subject area. Have you misplaced your transcript? Contact your school ASAP to request another copy. It's good to have some of your most important documents kept off-site, preferably in a safe deposit box at your local bank. If your life turns upside down because of fire or flood, this disaster recovery precaution will make picking up the pieces a bit easier. Make copies to keep at home, but store the originals of your most important documents. Create a video archive of your property and your possessions. Keep this video in your safe deposit box, along with an inventory of your possessions. Licenses: If your license isn't displayed, then you certainly need to have it accessible. When you buy professional liability insurance, when your business property is being inspected, or when you are applying for a job in a licensed state are all examples of when you'll need those magic numbers. Test scores: You may never need these, but they're important to keep, for historical purposes, if for nothing else. Most states won't grant a massage license without proof that you've taken one of the national massage exams—NCBTMB or the MBLEx. CE certificates: You are the only one who can recreate your entire continuing education (CE) history. You are the only one with full documentation of that weekend course and the ABMP webinars you participated in. Keep all this documentation in one spot, and promptly print and file CE-related receipts and notices when they are emailed to you. Rental/lease agreements: The last thing you want to do when you're in a beef with your landlord is hunt for these documents. Keep them handy for easy reference. Insurance records: Keep your policy, your policy number, and contact information in an easy-to-access location for all insurance policies you maintain. Taxes: Whether you're employed by others, or a sole proprietor, this is a must. Most accountants recommend keeping tax returns and their documentation (receipts, invoices, cancelled checks, etc.) for at least three years from the return's due date. If you have capital losses, start-up cost amortization, or various carry-forwards, documents should be kept until the loss is used up, plus three years. Many business owners are wise to keep returns even after the threeyear window. Your history of tax returns provides good reporting if you ever want to sell your business or get a bank loan. For more information, check with your accountant, or go to www.irs.gov. Karrie Osborn is contributing editor at ABMP . DS 2 March April 2013 Don't Forget Personal Documents Just as with your professional history, there are some important documents you need to maintain for your personal life as well. Marriage licenses, divorce papers, living wills, birth certificates, passports, records of any felony or misdemeanor proceedings, and social security information for you and your family members top the list. Health history is another crucial file to maintain. As part of taking charge of your own health care, keeping an accurate health history is your job. Doctors retire, move practices, fall ill, and have bad "breakups" with their partners—all of which can affect your ability to access your medical files and history. What can you do moving forward? Always request copies from your doctor of any new test results (EKG, MRIs, blood work, etc.) that might be important for you to reference at a later date.