What documents should I keep and for how long?


VaryingThese documents you may touch as often as monthly or weekly:
  • Bank Statements - 1 month
  • Bills - 1 year for anything tax or warranty related, all other bills should be shred as soon as they have been paid.
  • Credit Card Bills - Shred immediately when paid.
  • Home Improvement Receipts - Keep until home is sold.
  • Investment Records - 7 years after you've closed the account or sold the security.
  • Leases - Keep until you've moved out and have received your deposit back from the landlord.
  • Paychecks / Pay Stubs - 1 year until you've received your W-2
  • Sales Receipts - Keep for the life of the warranty. Obviously, this applies only to major purchases like appliances and electronics. I typically keep receipts for things like groceries and clothing only as long as I know I am not going to need the receipt for a return.
  • Tax Documents - 7 years including your filing and all accompanying documents like W-2s and receipts.
  • Vehicle Records - Keep until boat, car or motorcycle is sold.

Make sure to have a flexible filing system set up to keep these documents in check and shred them when they are no longer necessary.

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