Congratulations on filing your taxes this year! Before you start planning what to do with your possible tax refund, now is the time to start managing your financial records for the next tax season.
Do you keep everything in your piles of records or can you discard some items now that you have filed? Accurate record-keeping throughout the years will keep well organized especially in the case of an audit. We have got you covered with some simple ideas for what can be discarded, important things to keep, and even some new apps that will make the next tax season the least stressful yet!
SCAN AND SAVE
Now that you have filed, what should you keep and what is the best way to organize the items that you are keeping?
After you file your taxes there are some documents that are recommended to keep by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). You want to keep health insurance records and anything that's evidence of income, deductible expenses, or a tax credit.
While you are scanning these items, you might want to add additional items to your electronic record in case of an emergency. Be sure to keep the hard copies of these items in a safe deposit box or a fire-resistant safe.
Below are some of the best options at multiple price points to easily keep your important documents safe:
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EMERGENCY ITEMS TO SCAN
There are numerous apps and portable scanners on the market that make it easy to upload your important documents in seconds. You can easily store them with Dropbox or GoogleDrive.
DO I KEEP TAX RETURNS FOREVER?
From the filing date, you have three years to be audited. However, it is recommended that you keep your tax returns and necessary documents for at least seven years. So what items do you need to keep?
When you prepare for future years, having your previous tax returns can be handy and are necessary to file an amendment to your previous return. Additionally, your tax returns might be needed in the event of a natural disaster, for loan applications, or even estimate tax withholdings.
SHREDDING TIME
Many people continue to get paper statements from their bank and credit cards every month. Feel free to shred statements, receipts, and bills once your taxes are filled. You can easily see your financial statements online from the last 5 years if needed.
Pro Organizer tip to invest in a paper shredder that will make the process easiest for you. Find one that can shred staples, paper clips, and multiple pages at a time. Below are some of the best ones on the market:
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GOING GREEN THIS YEAR? HOW TO GO PAPERLESS.
How do you safely go paperless? Almost two-thirds of people use the same password over multiple online accounts. Protect yourself and keep your confidential information secure by changing your passwords every three months.
There are numerous apps that can keep your passwords secure like 1Password or LastPass. Make sure to keep a record to access your passwords in a secure area like a safety deposit box or a fire safe that can be accessed if needed in an emergency.
Most people have more than a few unread emails in their personal accounts, which can make missing possible fraud simple. An easy way to detect fraud on your accounts is to set up a separate email from your personal email. Have your statements sent to your new important accounts email so you can easily sort through these emails rather than have them incorporated into your personal account.
ORGANIZATIONAL APPS GEARED AT DECLUTTERING YOUR FINANCES
Maybe this year try out some apps that are geared to decrease your clutter and keep track of your bills.
Doxo is a great app to try out that is not only safe and secure but uses auto-Pay, recurring payments, and free bill reminders. Easily track all your bills, expenses, and reminders in one calendar all from your smartphone. Try it out for FREE here.
Mint is another app to try out this year for a better way to manage your money. Another FREE app that can help you reach your financial goals with custom budgets, it also helps to track your money spending. See your monthly bills, create budgets, grow savings, and build stronger financial habits easily with this user-friendly app.
Easily access all the tips from this blog by downloading it now. Make sure to download the Complete Tips to Get Organized After Tax Season. Simply download it by clicking the link below for the complete list. You will thank yourself later.
I hope you enjoyed This Organized Home’s The Best Ways to Organize Your Finances After Taxes. Have a great idea for other tips or an app that would be perfect for this topic, make sure to comment below. Try out these simple tips to declutter your piles of tax documents and digitize you to have a more organized next tax season!
Can't wait to catch up on the next blog... Stay Organized.
