HELOISE Binder organizes your important information

Dear Heloise: I work for a financial planner, and our new clients always receive a fancy financial binder to organize their information. It's important because it's a quick reference point in the case of an emergency, and it makes it easier for surviving family members to identify assets and liabilities after the loss of a loved one.
Many times people will purchase insurance policies, but no one else in the family knows about it. Without information about a policy, it would be very easy to overlook a valuable asset. Also, when stocks or mutual funds are sold, the tax person will want to know the cost basis. The statements should all be kept together, not filed by year, which most people do.
It is very easy to make a financial binder for yourself. Use a large, three-ring binder and add clear plastic sheet protectors and section dividers. Label the sections for insurance, investments, banking and contact/information. Gather policies and investment, banking and savings information, and file appropriately. In the contact/information section, be sure to include information such as benefits that the surviving spouse might be eligible for -- this is especially true for veterans. If original documents are kept in the book, it should be kept in a fireproof box.
Believe me, it is very hard on surviving family members to dig through drawers, file cabinets and boxes stashed in various places to find all of the information that can easily be filed in one binder. This is an easy-to-accomplish task, and your loved ones will thank you for it. Jill, via e-mail
Thanks, Jill, for reminding all of us to take a few moments to check records that might be needed if we are faced with a death in the family. Heloise
Dear Heloise: We recently moved to a new home that has a starkly different decor than all my previous homes. My beautifully framed and matted artwork no longer looked appropriate. While refinishing the frames, I accidentally discovered that instead of replacing the mats, which can be very pricey, you can spray-paint the mats any color you wish.
For my personal collection, it has worked out magnificently. I would not, however, use this technique on museum-quality pieces, as the chemicals in paint could damage the art through the years. Marilyn M., Emmaus, Pa.
Dear Heloise: My husband and I like to travel and collect Christmas-tree ornaments wherever we go. But sometimes they are very expensive. Now, if the ornaments are overpriced, I just buy a key chain! They're inexpensive, very colorful, have the location names on them and have their own built-in hooks to hang on the tree! Joanna M. Hill-Thornton, Elkridge, Md.
XSend a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000, or you can fax it to (210) HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can't answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.
King Features Syndicate