When it comes to our personal information, our physical and digital documents, files, and data are spread far and wide. From birth certificates and passports, to health records, tax returns, financial statements, insurance policies, and wills, the amount of information you need to protect and keep track of increases substantially over time.

The problem is that managing this information is often haphazard, time-consuming, and cumbersome. Some documents may have been placed in a drawer, filed at the office, saved on a hard drive, kept in an email, or left in the hands of a family member or advisor. Without purposeful information management, we risk losing important information, not to mention wasting time and spending unnecessary money.

Here are 17 stats about your personal information that may surprise you: