I'm firebombing the home office this weekend or next. What should I keep?

[Bertha Venation]

* tax records going back to -- when?

* insurance policies no longer in effect because they're last year's, or from the years before? insurance policy billing statements?

* banking records from old closed accounts?

* banking records on current accounts -- how far back?

* bills:

** paid credit card statements? how important to keep? if important, how old?

** paid utility statements? same questions

* mortgage statements? (I'm inclined to keep all of these forever)

* other? other? other?

I am asking a lot, i realize. Perhaps if someone has an authoritative link I can check out . . . Thank you so much.

edit: sorry, mucked up the html tags

[amber dog democrat]

1. Your violin, mandolin or guitar

and don't forget the guns.

[redqueen]

2. I think 7 years is standard for most financial stuff

Not sure about the rest... sorry.

[Bertha Venation]

10. thanks, redqueen

you're a little port in a storm

[Mr.Green93]

3. what does "firebombing the home office" mean?

[Bertha Venation]

7. CLEANING UP MY home office.

[Guy_Montag]

4. I thought you meant the Home Office,

and was a little disturbed.

Ps. The Home Office is the UK equivalent of the State Department

[Bertha Venation]

8. If I had known that "Home Office" meant that,

I would have entered a disclaimer. Or at least I would have brought everyone's attention to the fact that I did not capitalize "home office."

Should I start looking for the British equivalent of Ashcroft's goons? :)

Good christ, I'm just disturbing people right & left today. I ought just to stamp a disclaimer in to my sig line.

[TX-RAT]

5. A lawyer on retainer.

[Speck Tater]

6. Keep anything that's relevant to filing a tax return seven years back.

If something is tax deductable, keep the cancelled check. If it's not tax deductable and it has shown up on the next invoice (e.g., this month's electric bill or credit card statetment shows last month's payment has been posted, ditch last month's bill and cancelled check.) If it's deductable but you're not actually going to deduct it on your tax return, toss it out.

Keep bank statements going back a few years in case you decide to apply for a mortgage. Lenders will want to see those.

Throw away everything else.

[Bertha Venation]

9. thank you

I appreciate it. I really do.