| Accident reports/claims (settled cases) |
7 yrs. |
| Accounts payable ledgers & schedules |
7 yrs. |
| Accounts receivable ledgers & schedules |
7 yrs. |
| Audit reports |
Permanently |
| Bank reconciliations |
2 yrs. |
| Bank statements |
3 yrs. |
| Capital stock & bond records: ledgers, transfer registers,
stubs showing issues, record of interest coupons,
options, etc |
Permanently |
| Cash books |
Permanently |
| Charts of accounts |
Permanently |
| Checks (canceled - see exception below) |
7 yrs. |
| 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, & leases (expired) |
7 yrs. |
| Contracts, mortgages, notes, & leases (still in effect) |
Permanently |
| Correspondence (general) |
2 yrs. |
| Correspondence (legal & important matters only) |
Permanently |
| Correspondence (routine) with customers and/or vendors |
2 yrs. |
| Deeds, mortgages, & bills of sale |
Permanently |
| Depreciation schedules |
Permanently |
| Duplicate deposit slips |
2 yrs. |
| Employment applications |
3 yrs. |
| Expense analyses/expense distribution schedules |
7 yrs. |
| Financial statements (year-end, other optional) |
Permanently |
| Garnishments |
7 yrs. |
| General/private ledgers, year-end trial balance |
Permanently |
| Insurance policies (expired) |
3 yrs. |
| Insurance records, current accident reports, claims, policies, etc. |
Permanently |
| Internal audit reports (longer retention periods may be desirable) |
3 yrs. |
| Internal reports (miscellaneous) |
3 yrs. |
| Inventories of products, materials, and supplies |
7 yrs. |
| Invoices (to customers, from vendors) |
7 yrs. |
| Minute books of directors, stockholders, bylaws, and charter |
Permanently |
| Journals |
Permanently |
| Notes receivable ledgers & schedules |
7 yrs. |
| Option records (expired) |
7 yrs. |
| Patents & related papers |
Permanently |
| Payroll records & summaries |
7 yrs. |
| Personnel files (terminated) |
7 yrs. |
| Petty cash vouchers |
3 yrs. |
| Physical inventory tags |
3 yrs. |
| Plant cost ledgers |
7 yrs. |
| Property appraisals by outside appraisers |
Permanently |
| Property records, including costs, depreciation reserves,
year-end trial balances, depreciation schedules,
blueprints, & plans |
Permanently |
| Purchase orders (except purchasing department copy) |
1 yr. |
| Purchase orders (purchasing department copy) |
7 yrs. |
| Receiving sheets |
1 yr. |
| Retirement & pension records |
Permanently |
| Requisitions |
1 yr. |
| Sales commission reports |
3 yrs. |
| Sales records |
7 yrs. |
| Scrap & salvage records (inventories, sales, etc.) |
7 yrs. |
| Stenographers' notebooks |
1 yr. |
| Stocks & bonds certificates (canceled) |
7 yrs. |
| Stockroom withdrawal forms |
1 yr. |
| Subsidiary ledgers |
7 yrs. |
| Tax returns & worksheets, revenue agents' reports, and other documents relating to determination of income tax
Liability |
Permanently |
| Time books/cards |
7 yrs. |
| Trademark registrations and copyrights |
Permanently |
| Training manuals |
Permanently |
| Union agreements |
Permanently |
| Voucher register & schedules |
7 yrs. |
| Vouchers for payments to vendors, employees, etc.
(includes allowances and reimbursement of employees,
officers, etc., for travel and entertainment expenses) |
7 yrs. |
| Withholding tax statements |
7 yrs. |
