BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--If youre like most people, you probably wish you were better organized when it comes to your important financial and family documents. Where are last years tax filings? The familys birth certificates? Property titles? For many, the answer to these questions may be a somewhat less-than-resounding, somewhere in the filing cabinet...I think? Fortunately, summer is the perfect time of year to start doing something about this situation and the good news is, according to a recent survey conducted by online storage provider FidSafe, doing so can also bring with it greater peace of mind.

Whether it includes clearing out your bills and receipts, cleaning out closets of unnecessary clutter or sitting at your desk to prepare and organize your familys most important documents, the fact is that paperwork piles up over time, and every household could benefit from some much-needed springor summercleaning. According to the experts at FidSafe, locating and storing critical documents, such as a will, health care proxy, life insurance policies, tax filings, property titles, and marriage and birth certificates should be at the top of everyones to-do list; and it doesnt have to be complicated. The immediate benefit: taking action now can help ensure essential documents are easily accessible if and when you ever need them.

While getting organized is one project on most peoples checklist, many find the task overwhelming and put it off as a result, said Andrew Peterson, vice president and product manager for FidSafe, which offers a free electronic digital storage service that was introduced by retirement leader Fidelity Investments one year ago. FidSafe utilizes Fidelitys state-of-the-art technologies and security protocols to keep consumers information safe with two factor authentication and end-to-end data encryption. Furthermore, FidSafe users can designate one trusted person to receive access to their documents after they pass away.

FidSafe experts recommend breaking the task of organizing your financial life into five manageable steps:

The biggest benefit to getting your financial and family documents in order is the comfort youll find in knowing where your most important files are stored and that you have easy access to them, said Peterson. In fact, a recent survey of FidSafe users found that after uploading their essential documents to FidSafe, two out of three respondents felt more organized and better prepared to find critical documents in the event of an emergency1 . That enhanced peace of mind can be worth the time spent locating electronic versions of the documents and organizing them within FidSafe.

Looking for a place to store everything? FidSafe can help. Opening a FidSafe account is quick and easy. A mobile app, how-to tips, planning checklists, and informational videos are available online to guide consumers, who can upload documents to a FidSafe account using any home or office scanner or simply by taking a photo using a mobile device and then uploading it into FidSafe at a convenient time. All documents are kept private and confidential and only the owner of the account can choose when and how to share with family members or trusted advisors.

To demonstrate how easy FidSafe is to utilize, a graphic and short videos are available. FidSafe also allows individuals to:

For additional information on FidSafe, visit http://www.fidsafe.com.

About Fidelity Investments Fidelitys mission is to inspire better futures and deliver better outcomes for the customers and businesses we serve. With assets under administration of $6.2 trillion, including managed assets of $2.3 trillion as of June 30, 2017, we focus on meeting the unique needs of a diverse set of customers: helping more than 26 million people invest their own life savings, 23,000 businesses manage employee benefit programs, as well as providing more than 12,500 financial advisory firms with investment and technology solutions to invest their own clients money. Privately held for 70 years, Fidelity employs more than 40,000 associates who are focused on the long-term success of our customers. For more information about Fidelity Investments, visit http://www.fidelity.com/about.

Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC, Member NYSE, SIPC 900 Salem Street, Smithfield, RI 02917

810032.1.0 2017 FMR LLC. All rights reserved.

1 Online survey of 1,145 FidSafe users conducted October 24 November 8, 2016. Survey by XTRAC, LLC. for FidSafe.

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Five Ways to Get Financially Organized This Summer - Business Wire (press release)