The Information Listed Below Should Only Be Used As Guide to Document Retention.
Accident reports/claims (settled cases) |
7 years |
Accounts payable: invoices, ledgers, and schedules |
4 years |
Actuarial reports |
Permanently |
Articles of incorporation |
Permanently |
Audit reports |
Permanently |
Bank reconciliations |
4 years |
Bank statements |
4 years |
Bills of lading |
3 years |
Budgets - projections |
2 years |
Bylaws |
Permanently |
Capital stock and bond records: ledgers, transfer registers, stubs coupons, options, etc. |
Permanently |
Cash books |
Permanently |
Chart of accounts |
Permanently |
Checks (canceled - see exception below) |
4 years |
Checks (canceled for important payments, i.e. taxes, purchases of property, special contracts, etc. Checks should be filed with the papers pertaining to the underlying transaction) |
Permanently |
Contracts, mortgages, notes and leases (expired) |
4 years |
Copyrights/trademarks |
Permanently |
Correspondence (general) |
2 years |
Correspondence (legal and important matters only ) |
Permanently |
Correspondence (routine) with customers and/or vendors |
2 years |
Deeds, mortgages, and bills of sale |
Permanently |
Depreciation schedules |
Permanently |
Directives - exclusive |
Permanently |
Duplicate deposit slips |
2 years |
Employee expense records |
3 years |
Employment applications |
2 years |
Expense analysis/expense distribution schedules |
4 years |
Expense reports |
4 years |
Financial statements (year end) |
Permanently |
Freight bills |
3 years |
Garnishments |
7 years |
General/private ledgers, year-end trial balance |
Permanently |
IRS determination/ approval letters |
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 |
4 years |
Invoices for property |
Permanently |
Journals - all types |
Permanently |
Minute books of directors, stockholders, bylaws, and charter |
Permanently |
Notes receivable ledgers and schedules |
4 years |
Note register |
Permanently |
Option records (expired) |
7 years |
Patents and related papers |
Permanently |
Payroll records and summaries |
7 years |
Pension/profit sharing plan/ trust documents |
Permanently |
Personnel files (terminated) |
7 years |
Petty cash vouchers |
3 years |
Plant cost ledgers |
4 years |
Procedure records |
Permanently |
Property appraisals by outside appraisers |
Permanently |
Property records, including costs, depreciation reserves, year-end trial balances, depreciation schedules, blueprints, and plans |
Permanently |
Purchase invoices |
4 years |
Purchase orders (except purchasing department copy) |
1 year |
Purchase orders (purchasing department copy) |
4 years |
Receiving sheets |
1 year |
Retirement and pension records |
Permanently |
Requisitions |
1 year |
Sales Commission reports |
3 years |
Sales invoices |
4 years |
Sales records |
4 years |
Scrap and salvage records (inventories, sales, etc.) |
4 years |
Stenographers' notebooks |
1 year |
Stockroom withdrawal forms |
1 year |
Subsidiary ledgers  |
4 years |
System records |
4 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 registrations and copyrights |
Permanently |
Training manuals |
Permanently |
Union agreements |
Permanently |
Voucher register and schedules |
4 years |
Vouchers for payments to vendors, employees, etc. (includes allowances and reimbursements) |
4 years |
Withholding tax statements |
7 years |
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