101 Ways to Move Forward After a Midlife Divorce

Tip #91. Put all of your important papers in one place. It’s amazing how much you have to suddenly be responsible for after a divorce. My wasband always took care of that stuff. He had a file drawer with birth certificates, wills, mortgage documents, warranties, medical histories, passports, insurance papers, etc. Now, you have to be responsible for all of that yourself. Maybe most of you were smarter than I was and paid more attention to all of that documentation when you were married. Talk to your financial advisor or accountant or banker and find out if there are any documents you need to keep in a safety deposit box at a bank. For papers kept at home, get a portable file box (fireproof if possible) that you could easily grab if your house caught on fire. At least have everything in one spot in a file drawer. Tell a child or a trusted relative where your important information is kept and any passwords or keys they might need to access your information if anything should happen to you. Just getting your important personal papers in order is a simple action that can bring calm and reassurance in one area of your challenging, changing life.