Take Care of The Most Important Person First.
(Prosperity - Laura E Kirkpatrick) Be prepared with the basics. Knowing as much about yourself as possible makes life easier – from talking to a new doctor to calling all your credit cards after losing your wallet. It may seem like this kit is a mash-up, but what person doesn’t have facets? This makes up who you are. And you’re the most important person in your life. So don’t just know your ring size, and your favorite lipstick color(s) but also your credit score.
Generally, a credit score higher than 650 is considered “good.” Knowing your credit score and carefully looking at your credit report can not only prevent identity theft, but help you 
out as you attempt to get loans, buy houses or lease a car. Plus, credit ratings companies are not infallible. Don’t let a wrong item listed on your report affect your future. By law, the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions (FACT) Act, you are entitled to one free credit report in a 12 month period, but this will not include your score.
For more information, go to Annualcreditreport.com. Reports containing scores can be bought, usually for around $15 from www.experian.com, www.equifax.com, or www.transunion.com.
If you’ve got credit, you’ve probably got personal property – without a will. It’s estimated that 75 percent of Americans die without one. When this happens, a judge distributes your property and even delegates care of minors and pets! Probate, as this is called, is time consuming and expensive - eating between 6 and 10 percent of the value of your estate, according to the National Association of Financial & Estate Planning. Besides, what judge is going to know that no way should your sister get her black dress back or your brother that flannel shirt you stole in high school? You don’t have to hire a lawyer – there are plenty of sites (www.createmywill.com, www.legalzoom.com, www.nolo.com) that will help you file. Lawyers are recommended for complex estates or if you are a beneficiary of a complex estate or trust. You might notice that we suggest you know where your loved ones wills are – they may have filed them, but if no one knows where the estate still goes to probate.
Most lawyers will recommend that you look at and perhaps update your will every five years at the least, and with every life change. Finally (slight pun intended) if you have burial instructions, don’t include those in your will. Wills are usually read after the funeral.
For your security, when filling this out, omit any account numbers. All of the places where you may have a contact should be able to identify you by your social security number and/or birthday and basic information. Have trouble remembering these? Try the inside of a ring.
If you’re as type A as I am, you may want to then upload the simple text version into your PDA. Just a suggestion.
Launch The Basics Survival Guide.
