DECLUTTERIG ( Archived) (5)

In the UK our medical records are with the G.P as we have the N.H.S.

Think carefully before chucking files

Evidence of systemic mis-selling often takes years to work through the system – if it’s related to a pension it could be many decades. So, it’s impossible now to say what you may need the paperwork for in a few years’ time. Therefore for safety, keeping old documents as long as you can – even for now-closed products – is a reasonable precaution.

If you’re trying to save space, it’s probably not necessary to keep everything once it hits its six-year birthday. Just the application and acceptance forms, and a couple of statements a year should be enough to give you at least some comfort.

I'm glad I kept mine as I had a PPI and was able to produce records allowing me a substantial payback on an overpayment

For you and Skedaddle.

I keep documents for seven years.

---

How long should you keep documents?
1
Store permanently: tax returns, major financial records
Your tax returns are important documents to keep as part of your financial history. You’ll want to keep a permanent electronic or hard copy of each year’s tax return and any payments you make to the government. Additionally, it’s a good idea to hold on to records of major financial events, such as legal filings or inheritances. You can easily access your paperless statements and documents online and keep them safely stored there. Bank of America clients can easily manage paperless statements and documents using Mobile and Online banking.

2
Store 3–7 years: supporting tax documentation
Depending on your filing circumstances, the IRS may be able to ask you for supporting documentation for three to seven years after you file a return. Knowing that, a good rule of thumb is to save any document that verifies information on your tax return—including Forms W–2 and 1099, bank and brokerage statements, tuition payments and charitable donation receipts—for three to seven years.

3
Store 1 year: regular statements, pay stubs
Keep either a digital or hard copy of the past year’s worth of your monthly bank and credit card statements. It’s a good idea to keep your digital copies stored online if you choose to go paperless. You should also hold on to pay stubs so that you can use them to verify the accuracy of your Form W-2 when tax season arrives.

4
Keep for 1 month: utility bills, deposits and withdrawal records
If you’re self-employed, you may need your utility, cable and cell phone bills for tax purposes. Otherwise, you can dispose of them as soon as you verify your payment was processed. You can also dispose of bank withdrawal and deposit slips after verifying them with your monthly statement.

5
Safeguard your information
For physical documents, designate a safe, out-of-the-way place in your home to store all paper records that protects them from damage or theft. For digital records, be sure to archive and back up all electronic records. It’s a good idea for these records to be password protected.

6
Guard your financial accounts
Use complex passwords to keep your account information safe. Make sure your username and password combination is different from the ones you use for personal email, online merchants and social media accounts. Protecting your computer with antivirus software is also a good idea. Bank of America clients can download IBM® Trusteer Rapport™ for an added layer of protection against online fraud.

7
Properly dispose of paper documents
You’ll put yourself at risk of fraud or identity theft if you simply throw away a large pile of private documents, such as financial statements. Invest in a cross-cut shredder that will eliminate all traces of your personal information, or search for free shredding events in your community. Having paperless statements and documents can help reduce the risk of identity theft posed by lost or stolen mail.