What Papers Should-and Shouldn’t-Your Business Shred?
As a business owner, you may find that your company accumulates numerous files, papers, and receipts over the course of the year. While some of these papers are essential for your recordkeeping, others may simply be taking up space. With on-site document shredding services , you can safely and securely eliminate papers that are not serving your business’ needs. Here is an overview of the papers that you should and should not send through the shredder.
Don’t Shred Financial Statements
Financial statements are examples of documents that should never be shredded. Your financial documents may include reports of your assets, yearly income, or equity. Other important financial papers include cash flow statements and retained earnings statements. By keeping these documents on file, you will be able to keep accurate records of your business’ financial standing.
Sort Tax Documents Before Shredding
When you are seeking out papers to shred, you may be tempted to eliminate your old tax documents. While some tax documents can be shredded, others must be kept in storage for a certain period of time. As a rule, you should wait at least six years before shredding your company’s past tax statements. Employee tax documents, such as I-9 forms, can usually be shredded after four years.
Shred Identifiable Information
Once you have taken stock of the items you will need to retain for your records, you will be ready to start shredding any other identifiable information. Documents that include confidential information about your customers should be shredded after use. Any other papers that contain insider details about your company should also be sent through the shredder.
If you have further questions about on site document shredding protocols for businesses, contact POUCH Self Storage by calling (800) 378-4598. Along with our vehicle storage and self storage in Lake Forest, our personal storage company also offers secure shredding services. Our team will be happy to help you shred your extra documents and get your paper filing system under control.