| FILE |
CONTENTS |
WHERE TO KEEP |
HOW LONG TO
KEEP |
Automobile
(also see Insurance and Taxes) |
Title
Payment book
Owner's manual and registration
Repair records receipts for parts and record of
fuel purchases |
Safe deposit box
File
File or in Car itself
File |
Until sold or
traded
Until paid in full
Until sold or traded
Until car is sold or as needed to sub-
substantiate tax-deductible business driving
expense |
| Bank |
Passbook
Bank statements
Canceled checks |
File
File: move to dead storage annually
File: move to dead storage annually |
Until account is
closed
10 years
10 years |
Cash Receipts
(also see Current Bills) |
Receipts for
major purchases, appliances, jewelry, TV, stereo |
File: move to
dead storage annually |
3 years
(indefinitely if it's proof of purchase for item
on your personal property inventory) |
Current Bills
(also see Cash Receipts) |
All unpaid
bills, charge account slips |
File when paid,
move to dead storage yearly |
3 years for
general purposes; 6 years if needed to
substantiate tax-deductible item; indefinitely if
used as legal proof of purchase |
| Current
Records |
List of credit
card numbers, creditors phone numbers and
addresses
Installment contracts |
File
Original in safe deposit box, copy in file |
Until all listed
credit cards expire or are destroyed
Until debt is paid or as needed |
Employment
Information |
Employ benefit
info & report
Pension records from prior employers |
File
File |
As needed
Indefinitely |
| Executor |
Copy of will
& trust documents
Letter of last instructions
List of location of important
documents, names, addresses of personal &
legal advisors |
Original with
lawyer, 1 copy in file and
1 copy in safe deposit box.
Original in file, copy in safe deposit box.
Original in safe deposit box, copy in file |
Indefinitely:
update as needed
Indefinitely: update as needed
Indefinitely: update as needed |
| Financial
Planning |
Budget |
File |
As needed |
Guarantees,
Warranties |
All warranties
Instruction manual |
File: attach
purchase receipt
File |
Annually remove
expired warranties & guarantees
Until item is discarded or sold |
Housing
(also see Taxes)
Owned:
Rented:
|
Home improvement
receipts, record of land transfer taxes, price
paid, selling costs.
Title insurance policy
Deeds
Termite inspection policy
Copy of lease rental agreement
Pictures showing move-in condition of property |
File
Safe deposit box
Safe deposit box
File
File
File |
Keep all records
of home improvements, buying & selling costs
for tax purposes
Until property is sold
Until property is sold
Until property is sold
Until you move & claims are settled
Until you move & claims are settled |
Insurance
Car:
Health:
Property: |
List of policy
numbers, names of insured, beneficiaries, issuing
company, agent type, amnt of coverage, copies of
all policies.
Record of traffic violations & accidents.
Medical history
Personal property inventory (incl price paid
& photos showing valuable possessions)
Appraisals |
File
File
File
Copies in file & safe deposit box
Safe deposit box |
Update as
necessary
3 years after violation
Update as necessary
Update as necessary
Update as necessary |
Investments
(also see Taxes) |
Bearer bonds
Certificates of deposit
Record of price paid for stocks, bonds
Stock certificates
Transfer slips (broker's purchase sales
statements) |
Safe deposit box
Safe deposit box
File
Safe deposit box
File |
Until sold or
maturity
Until maturity & redemption
Update as necessary for tax purposes
Until sold
Until sold, use for tax purposes |
| Other |
Death, birth
certificates, marriage license, divorce papers,
diplomas, military papers, social security &
driver's license numbers. |
Safe deposit box |
Indefinitely |
| Taxes |
Paycheck stubs
Copies of old returns & supporting data
Receipts for tax-deductible items (interest paid,
child & medical care, donations, bus
expenses, real estate taxes, casualty loses)
Receipts for taxable items (interest &
dividends, records of capital gains, loses) |
File
Dead storage
File
File |
Discard yearly
after checking with W2s
10 Years
Use annually and then store with old tax returns
Use annually and then store with old tax returns
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I M P O R T
A N T
P H O N E
N U M B E R S
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