What Records/paperwork To Ship Or Leave Behind...and How?

[jkeenan213]

So we are downsizing in preparation for the move, sending balikbayan boxes to asawa's sister to hold, and a question.  I have a lot of paperwork. Some is going in the trash, some to the shredder, my sister here may hold a couple of boxes.  What, and how, did everyone take it to PI...or not. Recommendations on:

 

1. The required 7 years of personal tax information required.  Been audited once, so need to keep.
2. Business (we just dissolved the corporation) tax and other records.
3. "Keepsake" documents:  birth footprints, HS graduation stuff from older kids, ultrasound pics, pics not digitized.
4. Non-travel essential documents:  prior wife divorce decree, older kids birth certs, information on house we are leaving here but renting out and will sell while there, asawa's fiancee visa and green card apps/docs, diplomas/college transcripts (mine), etc.
5. Pre-relocation business transactions:  Copies of car titles and bills of sale sold before we leave, household goods auction and sale receipts, etc.
6. Receipts of payoff of accounts before moving:  credit cards, etc.
7. Etc, etc, etc.

What did everyone trash, store, or take and how?  Clearly I don't want a lot of this in balikbayan boxes, and the less we board the plane with the better.

[intrepid]

Very good question.  I'm starting this same process now.  You are correct not to ship in BB boxes.  How to take is another great question.  You will need all your personal documents like birth cert, her green card and info, marriage and maybe divorce papers.  I would give your adult children their own b certificates, I gave mine theirs many years ago.  Tax records I will leave them and receipts with one of my children but take a copy of the actual returns with me.  This will not be too many papers and I will carry them in my laptop case.  Another option with the tax returns is just scan them.  For me, less is better.

[frosty (chris)]

I just scanned all my important papers into my computer, then saved it all on a usb stick and just to be safe did another copy on another usb. My very personal documents I keep as hard documents in case I need to use at anytime i.e. b/c, div papers, police clearance etc etc.

[Mike J]

I would send over number 1,3, and 4.  I would also get multiple notarized copies of birth certificates and marriage license. 

Consider scanning the rest of what you may want to keep.

And you want shred whatever you don't bring, my guess is you already do that anyway.

Edited November 3, 2015 by Mike J

[Tukaram (Tim)]

I brought birth certificates (multiple),  certified copy of divorce decree - it is amazing how many times they want to see that!.  7 years of tax returns (never got rid of any before ha ha. Paperwork from sale of house. Way too much of my military records. All my retirement & insurance paperwork. 

 

I have a small fire safe, stuffed full.  It holds hanging file folders and is 0.6 cu ft.  The safes weigh a ton - but balikbayan boxes have no weight limit! Birth certificate & divorce papers were carried in my laptop bag :tiphat:

[Thomas]

If you are prepared to fly back to USA hasty, or have relatives who can handle it if needed, if USA tax want to see something old, you can leave that in USA.

 

When I MOVE I will only bring

/documents needed to marry and such

/and the LAST tax documents (to check if tax ask something and to look at when I fill tax forms next time. (I will keep my company in the home country of some tax and control reasons.)

/things I NEED realy plus some for amusement

 

LATER when I visit my home country I will bring to Phils 30 kg or so each turn

/more things I can need to develop business but don't expect to need the first year

/more amusements. (I don't expect I will need to bring any much the first years   :)

/some MEMORY things.

 

These will be prepared SORTED in different boxes, so relatives can send them in BB boxes if I will want them earlier than it suit to fetch them.

 

The rest of what tax and such can want to see, I NEVER plan to bring to Phils.

 

 

Your kids' birth certificates you can give to them   :)