Records Retention Schedule |
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For addtional information, see this IRS web page. | |
Accident reports/claims (settled cases) | 7 years |
Accounts payable ledgers and schedules | 7 years |
Accounts receivable ledgers and schedules | 7 years |
Audit reports | Permanently |
Bank reconciliations | 2 years |
Bank statements | 3 years |
Capital stock and bond records ledgers, transfer registers, stubs showing issues, records 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. File checks with the papers pertaining to underlying transaction). | Permanently |
Checks (cancelled—except those above) | 7 years |
Contracts, mortgages, notes and leases (expired) | 7 years |
Contracts, mortgages, notes and leases (still in effect) | Permanently |
Correspondence (general) | 2 years |
Correspondence (legal and important matters only) | Permanently |
Correspondence (routine) with customers and/or vendors | 2 years |
Deeds, mortgages, bills of sale | Permanently |
Depreciation schedules | Permanently |
Duplicate deposit slips | 2 years |
Employment applications | 3 years |
Expense analyses/expense distribution schedules | 7 years |
Financial Statements (year-end, other optional) | Permanently |
Garnishments | 7 years |
General/Private ledgers, year-end trial balance | Permanently |
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 and supplies | 7 years |
Invoices (to customers, from vendors) | 7 years |
Journals | Permanently |
Magnetic tape and tab cards | 1 year |
Minute books of directors, stockholders, bylaws, and charter | Permanently |
Notes receivable legers and schedules | 7 years |
Option records (expired) | 7 years |
Patents and related papers | Permanently |
Payroll records and 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 | 7 years |
Property records, including costs, depreciation reserves, year-end trial balances, depreciation schedules, blueprints, and plans |
Permanently |
Purchase orders (except purchasing department copy) | 1 year |
Receiving sheets | 1 year |
Retirement and pension records | Permanently |
Requisitions | 1 year |
Sales commissions reports | 3 years |
Sales records | 7 years |
Scrap and salvage records (inventories, sales, etc) | 7 years |
Stenographers’ notebooks | 1 year |
Stock and bond certificates (cancelled) | 7 years |
Stockroom withdrawal forms | 1 year |
Subsidiary ledgers | 7 years |
Tax returns and worksheets, revenue agents reports, and other documents relating to determination of income tax liability |
Permanently |
Time books/cards | 7 years |
Trademark registration and copyrights | Permanently |
Training manuals | Permanently |
Union agreements | Permanently |
Voucher register and schedules | 7 years |
Vouchers for payments to vendors, employees, etc. (includes allowances and reimbursement for travel and entertainment expenses) |
7 years |
Withholding tax statements | 7 years |