We’re not sure when the much heralded paperless revolution will arrive, but for now we’re still seeing a bunch of paper in our world. Last we checked it’s still incredibly tedious to shred all that paper in a home shredder. We’re making it easy on you by offering our annual free shredding event just after tax day. You bring the paper and we’ll have drinks and snacks and look forward to catching up.
To receive a text message reminder about the event, please send your name and the word “shred” to (505) 405-7231.
Shredding Guidelines
- There is no limit on how much you may bring, but if there are many people waiting we ask that you pause to allow others to participate.
- You can shred file folders, newspapers, magazines, checkbooks, CDs, DVDs, credit cards, etc. If you’re not sure about an item please keep it separate and we can ask the shredding company when you arrive.
- You need not remove staples from your shredding materials, but aim to remove larger items such as binder clips and paper clips.
- All shredded material will be recycled as much as possible by the shredding company.
- Your items are securely shredded in the truck onsite, not taken to another facility. You can be confident in the privacy of your materials and may also wait and watch while they are shredded.
- You are welcome to invite neighbors, friends, and family to join you in utilizing this free service.
Recommended Document Retention Timeframes
It’s easier than ever to keep electronic copies of your documents on a hard drive, so you can retain many years worth of documents on a hard drive that takes up a fraction of the space of a filing cabinet. Electronic storage is fallible however—be sure to back up your data so you have copies in the event of a hard drive failure.
If you are seeking advice about business record keeping, the US Chamber of Commerce has an extensive guide to review, and it would be a good idea to check out the IRS recommendations.
We’ve consulted several reputable sources and compiles the following guide. General advice is to retain anything that relates to tax records with your tax return for that year.
Documents to Keep Forever
- Adoption Paperwork
- Birth Certificates
- Death Certificates
- Divorce Decrees
- Estate Planning Documents
- Income Tax Returns and Supporting Documentation
- Life Insurance Documents
- Medical Records
- Military Discharge Paperwork
- Social Security Cards
- Retirement Account Year End Statements
Keep For 3 Years
- Cancelled Checks
- Credit Card Statements
Keep 3-6 Years
- Retirement Plan Statements
Keep One Year
- Monthly Pay Stubs
Keep Until Reconciled and New Statements Reflecting Payments/Updates Arrives
- Credit Card Receipts (If Not Needed For Warranties)
- Social Security Statements
Keep with Applicable Tax Return
- 1099s
- Charitable Contribution Receipts
- Deductible Medical Expense Documentation
- End Of Year Pay Stub
- Employee Business Expense Receipts
- Investment Account Statements
- W-2s
Keep Until Expired or Replaced
- Health Insurance Policies
- Homeowners and Renters Insurance Policies
- Passports
- Warranties and Related Receipts