Important papers

[ransil]

Full timing do you keep all your important papers with you in the motorhome?

Marriage license, birth certificates ect

[SpaceNorman]

We're not full timers .. yet - but don't need to be full timing to answer this one. The originals of all our important papers reside in our safe deposit box. I keep electronic copies (scanned PDFs) on the laptop hard drive. I can print copies at any time. IF an original is truly necessary - our adult children have access to our safe deposit box. They can retrieve and overnight them to us if/when necessary. I haven't been asked to produce an "original" of any of our papers (birth certificates, marriage documents, etc.) in years. I don't expect that to change anytime soon. I suspect the next "life event" that might demand original documents will be when we apply for social security benefits ... which is at least 3-4 years down the road.

[Bigrig2]

What I do, with my web based email service...Gmail, is to email myself a copy (or PDF, Pic or other) of all family members passports. Copies of other important documents could be handled the same way. Easy to find in email search if you put "important documents" or "passports", etc., in subject field.

[SpaceNorman]

My only reservation with BigRig2's approach is that it puts copies of YOUR papers a hard drive that is 100% outside of your control. In practical terms it's not likely to mean anything to most of us ... BUT, it does put you in the position of having to trust the policies and processes of somebody you don't know to keep your documents private. Large companies across the world are implementing security policies that deny their personnel the ability to send "confidential" information via standard email - and instead are pushing them thru secured email services like ZIX to protect their data. It's at least something to think about.

[slowmachine]

I used to do the same thing with Gmail, but I first placed the personal files in an encrypted ZIP file and sent it as an attachment.


Mike
2000 Holiday Rambler Endeavor 40PBD
Freghtliner XC, CAT 3126B

[CampDaven]

2 iPhones, a laptop, a tablet, 2 backup hard drives, and a Cloud.


Dave and Nola, RV Mutants

[wajell]

Originally Posted by Bigrig2

What I do, with my web based email service...Gmail, is to email myself a copy (or PDF, Pic or other) of all family members passports. Copies of other important documents could be handled the same way. Easy to find in email search if you put "important documents" or "passports", etc., in subject field.

Not much help if your account gets compromised. Also, I would not trust the security of copies of anything stored in the "cloud". "Free" email is "free" for a reason.

[Nana25K]

We carry nothing except our Passports, DL and Military ID along with our power of attorney \ medical directive. . Other than getting our initial SD DL we have needed nothing in 9+ years. All our papers, Even the original title to our vehicles are all kept in the super duty mega gun safe at our daughters. She can overnight what ever we need.

[docj]

IMO the only document we carry that are really significant are our passports. Under the law passports supersede any reason to show a birth certificate. And, contrary to a lot of the misinformation on these forums, women don't have to provide documentation for their accumulated name changes as long as they have a passport in their current name.

All other documents are relatively easily replaced, even vehicle titles. And even passports are replaceable. Although we do have a copy of our marriage license, once my former employer certified my wife's eligibility for benefits there's no longer a reason to have it. Insurance policies are available online as is most everything else.

I do have a lot of my own data stored in the Microsoft cloud and I'm willing to trust its integrity. I refuse to engage in the rampant paranoia that somehow it's all going to vanish. Maybe I'll be proven wrong, but I seriously doubt it.

[MSHappyCampers]

Originally Posted by SpaceNorman

We're not full timers .. yet - but don't need to be full timing to answer this one. The originals of all our important papers reside in our safe deposit box. I keep electronic copies (scanned PDFs) on the laptop hard drive. I can print copies at any time. IF an original is truly necessary - our adult children have access to our safe deposit box. They can retrieve and overnight them to us if/when necessary. I haven't been asked to produce an "original" of any of our papers (birth certificates, marriage documents, etc.) in years. I don't expect that to change anytime soon. I suspect the next "life event" that might demand original documents will be when we apply for social security benefits ... which is at least 3-4 years down the road.

Thanks Norman! We really hadn't thought about this but I think that's a good plan! I hope we will be leaving by January 1st!

[JFNM]

Originally Posted by ransil

Full timing do you keep all your important papers with you in the motorhome?

Yes, I do. Let's see birth certificate, passport, and.... oh, vehicle titles. Not sure what else I have that would be considered important.

[Clay L]

We bought a couple of Sentry fire resistant "Fire Chests" and carried our important stuff in them. See HERE We got ours at an Office Depot store but they are available in a lot of places.
Not a perfect solution but they claim to provide protection in an average house fire (whatever that is)

[FlaRider]

I have important documents saved as PDFs and storied in a secured note in Lastpass. I can retrieve it from any of my devices and it encrypted on the device and the cloud.

[TonyDi]

I would never carry original documents with me. What IF something happened? How would you get them replaced. My kids have access to my safe and could mail me either the original or a certified copy. I can't imagine why someone would need to see my original birth certificate or marriage license.