Record Retention

Document

Retention Period

Accident reports/claims (se led cases)7 years
Accounts payable ledgers and schedules7 years
Accounts receivable ledgers and schedules8 years
Audit reports Permanently
Bank statements3 years
Capital stock and bond recordsPermanently
Cash books7 years
Charts of accountsPermanently
Checks (canceled checks for important payments, special contracts, purchase of assets, payment of taxes, etc. Checks should be filed with the papers pertaining to the underlying transaction)Permanently 
Checks (canceled except those above)7 years 
Contracts and leases (expired)7 years
Correspondence, general2 years
Correspondence, legal and tax relatedPermanently 
Deeds, mortgages and bills of salePermanently 
Deposit slips7 years
Depreciation schedulesPermanently 
Employee personnel records (after termination)7 years
Employee applications3 years
Expense Reports7 years
Financial statements (year-end)Permanently
General ledgers, year-end trial balancePermanently
Insurance policies (expired)3 years
Insurance records, accident reports, claims, policies, etc.7 years
Internal audit reports (miscellaneous)3 years
Inventory records7 years
Invoices to customers from vendors7 years
IRA/Keogh plan contributions, rollovers, transfers, and distributionsPermanently
Minute books of directors, stockholders, bylaws and charterPermanently
Payroll records, summaries and tax returns7 years
Petty cash vouchers3 years
Purchase orders3 years
Receiving sheets1 year
Retirement plan recordsPermanently
Safety records6 years
Sales records7 years
Tax returns, revenue agents’ reports, and other documents relating to determination of income tax liabilityPermanently
Time cards and daily reports7 years
Trademark registration, patents and copyrightsPermanently
Trial balances (monthly)3 years
W-2 Forms7 years

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