BLF Tip of the Week

Getting Copies of Your Records: Rule of Two

When you are obtaining records for applications or licensing and those records will take a long time to get, always ask for two (2) certified copies in your request. That way, even though you are using one of those copies for the application, you will have a copy of that record in case you ever need it again. People often spend their energy getting a record or certified copy of a document and immediately use it, only to find they need it again down the road. Always get a copy. 

Record Storage Tips:

Important legal documents, records, and paperwork should always be organized and stored in a safe places that are easily accessible for future needs or emergencies. Here are some additional record keeping and storage tips:

1. Be proactive. Never rely on other individuals, businesses, institutions, or courts to keep your records. Assume that you are the only reliable keeper of your records. Always obtain your own certified copies or originals. 

2.  Store any and all original documents in a safety deposit box or in a fireproof and/or waterproof safe (weather proof).

3. Have a backup plan. Always store duplicates of original documents either electronically or on a storage device, such as a thumb drive. A secure cloud storage is also nice because it is easily accessible. 

4. If you aren’t storing all of your documents in one place, then make a running record of where each separate document are, particularly business records that may not be kept at home. 

5. Backup passwords, safe codes, and keys. Give them to a person you can trust in an emergency. Make sure there is a letter with your documents that stated who the person is and how to contact them.