Listen, kid, we're all in it together.

[tzikeh]

How long do you guys keep all your various bill records, paperwork, and so on?

I know we are supposed to keep tax records for seven years, but how long do you keep old bank statements? Gas bills? IRA income reports? Credit card bills? What about health care information?

Comments

[amireal.livejournal.com]

I tend to keep bank statements for the 7 years also, mostly so that IF the IRS comes a knocking, you have more paperwork to back stuff up. Credit Card bills I keep till I've paid and its cleared then I shred. Health care 'reciepts' I keep b/c right now it's really complex so there's manilla folders with color coded indices to keep track of what's been paid and what hasn't and when everything happened.

In general I'd say keep anything beyond a general doctor appt/scrip fill till you've filed your taxes. (i.e. something that was beyond your normal copay)

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

Well, I don't itemize on my taxes, so that last bit isn't a concern. I'm thinking about stuff like when the gas bill comes each month, and you send back the part with your check, how long do you keep the actual bill?

[amireal.livejournal.com]

Because you send an actual check, I'd say until the check cleared, b/c then if there's any problem, you have the cleared check or evidence thereof to smack them with. I had to do that once.