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(WXIN/WTTV) — In today’s world of hackers and other cyber threats, we spend a lot of time talking about protecting usernames and passwords.
However, there are still a lot of paper documents that are important for keeping your information and identity safe. Which documents should you keep and for how long? And which documents can you shred right away?
The Federal Trade Commission has the following guidance:
Keep for a year.
- Bank statements
- Pay stubs
- Undisputed medical bills
- Credit card and utility bills
- Deposited checks
If you can access these documents electronically, consider shredding your paper copies.
Keep for at least three years.
- Income tax returns
- Tax-related documents, such as canceled checks, receipts, W-2s and 1099s
- Records related to selling a home
In some cases, the IRS recommends keeping tax returns and tax-related documents for longer than three years. If you can access these documents electronically, consider shredding your paper copies.
Keep while you own it.
- The title to your vehicle
- The title or deed to your home
- Documents related to mortgage or vehicle loans
- Home improvement receipts
- Rental agreements and leases
- Sales receipts and warranty information for major appliances
Keep forever and lock up.
- Birth certificate or adoption papers
- Social Security cards
- Valid passports and citizenship or residency papers
- Marriage licenses and divorce decrees
- Military records
- Wills, living wills, powers of attorney, and retirement and pension plans
- Death certificates of family members
- Vital health records (especially those that predate electronic health records)
Shred it.
- ATM receipts
- Offers of credit or insurance
- Cleared checks (after 14 days)
- Credit reports
- Prescription information for medicines you no longer take
- Expired warranties
- Expired credit cards, driver’s licenses and other forms of identification
When it’s time to dispose of documents with your personal or financial information, shred them. If you don’t have a shredder, look for a local shredder in your community.