TYPE OF DOCUMENT

HOW LONG?

A

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Accident Reports/Claims (Settled Cases)

7 Years

Accounts Payable (Ledgers & Schedules)

7 Years

Accounts Receivable (Ledgers & Schedules)

7 Years

Audit Reports

Permanently

B

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Bank Reconciliations

2 Years

Bank Statement(s)

3 Years

C

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Capital Stock & Bond Records (Ledgers, Transfer Stubs Showing Issues, Record of Interest, Coupons, Options, etc)

Permanently

Cash Books

Permanently

Chart of Accounts

Permanently

Checks (Cancelled for Important Payments - Taxes, Purchases of Property, Special Contracts, etc. Checks should be filed with the papers pertaining to the underlying transaction.)

Permanently

Contracts, Mortgages, Notes & Leases (Expired)

7 Years

Contracts, Mortgages, Notes & Leases (Still In Effect)

Permanently

Correspondence (General)

2 Years

Correspondence (Legal & Important Matters Only)

Permanently

Correspondence (Routine w/ Customers & Vendors)

2 Years

D

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Deeds, Mortgages & Bills of Sale

Permanently

Depreciation Schedules

Permanently

Duplicate Deposit Slips

2 Years

E

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Employment Applications

3 Years

Expense Analysis/Expense Distribution Schedules

7 Years

F

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Financial Statements (Year-End or Other, Optional)

Permanently

G

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Garnishments

7 Years

General & Private Ledgers, Year-End Trial Balance

Permanently

H

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I

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Insurance Policies (Expired)

3 Years

Insurance Records, Current Accident Reports, Claims, Policies, etc.

Permanently

Internal Audit Reports (Longer Retention Periods May Be Desirable)

3 Years

Internal Reports (Miscellaneous)

3 Years

Inventories of Products, Materials & Supplies

7 Years

Invoices (To Customers, From Vendors)

7 Years

J

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Journals

Permanently

K

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L

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M

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Magnetic Tape & Tab Cards

1 Year

Minute Book of Directors, Stockholders, Bylaws, & Corporate Charter

Permanently

N

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Notes Receivable Ledgers & Schedules

7 Years

O

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Options Records (Expired)

7 Years

P

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Patents & Related Papers

Permanently

Payroll Records & Summaries

7 Years

Personnel Files (Terminated)

7 Years

Petty Cash Vouchers

3 Years

Physical Inventory Tags

3 Years

Plant Cost Ledgers

7 Years

Property Appraisals by Outside Appraisers

Permanently

Purchase Orders (Except Purchasing Dept Copy)

7 Years

Purchase Orders (Purchasing Dept Copy)

7 Years

Q

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R

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Receiving Sheets

7 Years

Retirement & Pension Records

Permanently

Requisitions

1 Year

S

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Sales Commissiion Report(s)

3 Years

Sales Records

7 Years

Scrap & Salvage Records (Inventories, Sales, etc)

7 Years

Stenographer's Notebook(s)

1 Year

Stock & Bond Certificates (Cancelled)

7 Years

Stockroom Withdrawal Forms

1 Year

Subsidiary Ledgers

7 Years

T

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Tax Return & Worksheets, Revenue Agent's Reports & Other Documents (Relating to Determination of Income

4 Years*

Time Books/Cards

7 Years

Trademark Registration & Copyrights

Permanently

Training Manuals

Permanently

U

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Union Agreements

Permanently

V

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Voucher Registration & Schedules

7 Years

Voucher for Payments to Vendors, Employees, etc. (Includes Allowances & Reimbursements of Employees, Officers, Travel & Entertainment Expenses, etc)

7 Years

W

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Withholding Tax Statements

7 Years

X

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Y

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Z

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