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Only if you're a business. Or if you filed incorrectly at some point.
If everything is normal, 3 years.


Go to your bank's website, login, and change to electronic bank statements.


I'd say 1 calendar year's worth. When you do your 2008 taxes in Jan 09, throw away all 2007 stubs.


Again, go with the e-bill.


No.

Your custom title should be "Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler"

Everyone in my family, particularily on my mom's side has a tendancy to hoarde documents amongst other things. Collectables, antiques, etc. I have the tendancy too, and I really have to fight it. I've found the best thing for me is to keep all tax documents that I use, and anything important like large bills, rental ageements, etc, and just shread everythign else that I don't need.

I do scan the more important ones as well, and every once in a while I update the disk in the safe deposit box. But the way I look at it, is if the worst case of losing the document and being called upon to show it would redult in somethign under a few hundred bucks as concequinces, it's not worth keeping.

I have boxes of statements and bills from back when I last move 8 years ago. Been too lazy to take time to make sure there isn't any of my missing important documents among them before I throw them out. Sure I can get copies from the state, if needed, but I dislike the hassle of dealing with someone upset over having to do more work, because I misplace something.

Still trying to find my Birth Certificate that has habit of only popping up when I'm not looking for it. I sure I had it properly file away with my lease and health records last time I needed it, but darn house elves keep changing the file system on me.

Scan it and just keep images of anything that doesn't require an original.

Silly goose.

1. That would require like, a lot of time.
2. L33T Hackers could steal my check stubs, n00b.

Nexa

1. That would require like, a lot of time.


You had a child for the free labor, didn't you?


2. L33T Hackers could steal my check stubs, n00b.

From DVD's in a box in your closet?

I want to say that, here at work, we are required to keep tax returns and what not for five years. Then they can be shredded.

Good rule of thumb for retaining docs.

And always shred the docs you're getting rid of. You don't want a dumpster diver going through your things.

And remember to recycle as much of the stuff as you can!

I have a couple of boxes up on top of my closet that are filled with the class notes I took in high school. They are not orderly or labeled or anything like that, but they are mine and I have kept them despite many attempts by people like my ex trying to get me to throw them out. A couple of years ago I looked through them and while most of it is meaning less to me now, especially given my handwriting, there were a few select pages and things written on the inside of a notebook covers that unlocked some memories I had not visited in many years. What other people see as junk might be worthless to them, but they are the keys to precious memories that would otherwise be lost. This might not be so true with check stubs or bank statements, but who knows. Perhaps twenty years from now the canceled check for some dance class for your child might unlock a memory that otherwise might be long forgotten. If you have the room, then keep as much stuff from your past as you can. You never know which thing will be your "rosebud."

Oh. And resist the temptation to lick all doorknobs while you're at it.

Totem

You're not helping asshat!!!

Also: I have every notebook from 6+ years of college.

Nexa