The attached schedule is a suggested retention period for business records.  Due to the various federal, state and local regulations, there often is not a simple answer.  This schedule should be used as a guideline.  If you have additional questions, please contact us.   Type of Record Suggested Retention Period      Type of Record Suggested Retention Period         Accident Reports (settled) 7 Insurance Policies (after expiration) 3 Annual Financial Reports P Inventory Records 7 AD Articles of Incorporation P Invoices (issued or received) 7 Audit Reports P Invoices - Fixed Assets 7 AD         Bank Deposit Slips 3 Labor Records:   Bank Reconciliations 3     Bank Statements 7      Applications (employees) 7 AT Bills of Lading 5      Contracts 7 AT Bonds (records of issuance) P      Daily Time Reports 5 Budgets 3      Disability Claims 7 AT          Earnings Records 7 Capital Stock:        Employee Service Records 7 AT      Applications for authorization & issuance P      Pay Checks 7      Certificates (cancelled) P      Personnel Files 7 AT      Ledger P      Salary and Wage Rate Changes 7 AT      Transfer Records P      Salary Receipts 7 AT Cash and Charge Sales Slips      7      Time Cards, Tickets & Clock Records 5 Check Register 10      Unemployment Claims 7 AT Checks (paid & cancelled) 7 AD      Withholding Exemption Certificates 7 AT Commission Reports 6      Worker's Compensation Reports 10 Contracts:   Leases   7 AT      Corporate 20 AT Ledgers and Journals:        Employee 7 AT      Accounts Payable Ledger 7      Vendor 7      Accounts Receivable Ledger 7 Correspondence:        Cash Journal 10      Accounting 5      Customer Ledger 7      Credit and Collections 7      General Journal 10      General 3      General Ledger P      Personnel 7 AT      Journal Entries - Year End P Cost Accounting Records 5      Payroll Journal 10          Plant Ledger P Deeds P      Purchases Journal 10 Delivery Receipts 3      Royalty Journal 10 Deposit Slip Copies 3      Sales Journal 10 Dividend Register P      Stock Ledger P Depreciation Schedules 7 AD      Voucher Journal 10     Licenses 1 AT Equipment Leases (after expiration) 6     Equipment Repair Records 3 Maintenance and Repair Records:   Expense Reports:        Buildings 7      Departmental 5      Machinery 5      Employee 5 Manufactured Stock Records 7 Fidelity Bonds 3 AT Minute Books P Financial Reports:   Mortgages 7 AT      Audited P          Annual P Notes (cancelled) 7      Interim 3 Note Register P Fire Damage Reports 6     Fixed Asset Records 7 AD Options 7 AT Franchise Agreements 10 AT     Freight Drafts, Bills and Claims 5 Patent Records P     Pension Records P Garnishments 3 AT Petty Cash Records 3         P = Permanent              AT = After Termination               AD = After Disposal   Type of Record Suggested Retention Period   Type of Record Suggested Retention Period           Plant Acquistion Records   7 AD Tax Records (including worksheets, bills and statements, and Agent's reports)   10 Property Records:   Tax Returns (copies):        Account Ledgers P      Estate P      Appraisals P      Gift P      Damage Reports     7      Income P      Deeds and Titles P      Payroll 7      Depreciation 7 AD      Personal Property 10      Plans and Specifications P      Sales and Use 10      Purchases P      Social Security 7      Sales P          Taxes 10 Title Papers P Purchase Order Copies    3 Trademark Records P Purchase Invoices 7 Travel Records (employees) 3         Receiving Reports 3 Uncollectible Accounts Records 7 Remittance Statements 3 Union (labor) Contracts P Requisitions 3         Vouchers (copies) 7 Sales Invoices 7 Voucher Register 10 Salesman Commission Reports 6     Securities (brokerage slips) 7 AD Wage Rate Records 7 Shipping Tickets 5 Warrants P Stockholder Records (list of minutes, proxies, reports to stockholders)   P Withholding and Exemption Certificates   7 AT Surety Bonds 3 AT W-2 Forms 7