Invest in Your Information Security

Spring Valley, The Investor's Bank
Jun 12
2 min read

Updated: Jun 24

Safeguarding yourself from identity theft and fraud requires diligence. One effective method to protect against these threats is shredding personal information. The destruction of documents that contain sensitive data, such as bank statements, credit card offers, medical records, and any other paperwork that could be used to impersonate you is best practice for your personal and business affairs. By shredding these documents, you significantly reduce the risk of them falling into the hands of identity thieves who might sift through your trash or recycling bins in search of personal information.

Equally important as knowing what to shred is knowing when to shred your personal documents. The timing of this process is just as vital as the content of the documents themselves. When it comes to personal documents, the timing of shredding can vary based on several factors, including the type of document, its relevance, and the potential risks associated with its retention. The Federal Trade Commission published the outline below on June 10th, 2025, defining the length of time recommended to keep personal documentation.

Keep for a Year

Bank statements
Pay stubs
Undisputed medical bills
Credit card and utility bills
Deposited checks

If you can access these documents electronically, consider shredding your paper copies.

Keep for at Least Three Years

Income tax returns
Tax-related documents, like canceled checks, receipts, W-2s, and 1099s
Records related to selling a home

In some cases, the IRS recommends keeping tax returns and tax-related documents for longer than three years. If you can access these documents electronically, consider shredding your paper copies.

Keep While You Own

The title to your vehicle
The title or deed to your home
Documents related to mortgage or vehicle loans
Home improvement receipts
Rental agreements and leases
Sales receipts and warranty information for major appliances

Keep Forever

And lock up:

Birth certificate or adoption papers
Social Security cards
Valid passports and citizenship or residency papers
Marriage licenses and divorce decrees
Military records
Wills, living wills, powers of attorney, and retirement and pension plans
Death certificates of family members
Vital health records (especially those that pre-date electronic health records)

Shred In Real Time

ATM receipts
Offers of credit or insurance
Cleared checks (after 14 days)
Credit reports
Prescription information for medicines you no longer take
Expired warranties
Expired credit cards, driver’s licenses, and other forms of identification

If you don’t have a shredder, or time to shred your documents, drop off your documents to our free shredding event on Saturday July 12th, 2025 from 10-1pm. Royal Document Destruction will be on site to shred up to 5 banker boxes of information for each person that attends. You can rest assured your documents are being disposed of in a secure fashion and the end product recycled. No registration required.