For copies of federal income tax returns, call the nearest office of the Department of the Treasury or Internal Revenue Service and ask for Form 4506 (Request for Copy or Transcript of Tax Form). To find your local office, go online to http://www.irs.ustreas.gov/localcontacts/ and click on the state in which you filed the original forms. To speak with an IRS representative, call 800-829-1040.

You can reach the Taxpayer Advocate Service by calling 877-777-4778. See Publication 1546 (“The Taxpayer Advocate Service of the IRS”).

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Lesson Contents
I. Introduction
II. How to Get Organized
III. Organize Important Papers

a. Which Papers to Keep

b. Where to Keep Papers

c. How Long to Keep Papers

d. When to Update Papers

e. How to Replace Papers

e.1. Birth and death certificate

e.2. Citizenship and naturalization papers

e.3. Driver’s license

e.4. Federal income tax return

e.5. Insurance policies

e.6. Marriage licenses, marriage dissolutions, adoption decrees

e.7. Military discharge papers

e.8. Passport

e.9. Property deeds

e.10. Savings bonds and notes

e.11. Social Security card

e.12. Vehicle title

e.13. Will

IV. What are SMART Goals?

a. SMART Goal Setting Techniques

b. Write and Visualize Your Goals

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Acknowledgments

Organize Your Important Household Papers belongs to a series called Legally Secure Your Financial Future. The series also includes information to help you communicate with others and begin preparing your estate plan.