Even if you’ve gone paperless, you probably still receive important mail related to your finances. These include old tax returns, medical bills, and explanations of insurance benefits. When you’re shredding old financial documents, you have to be careful not to shred important information. It’s also important to know which documents to shred.
Information that should never be shredded
Even if you have a paperless lifestyle, you might still receive important mail related to your finances. This could be anything from old tax returns and medical bills to explanations of your insurance benefits. Fortunately, there are ways to know what should be shredded and when to do so. There are some pieces of information that you should never shred, such as your birth certificate or Social Security card. Those documents can be very useful to identity thieves. Likewise, if you have a new credit or debit card, it’s probably safe to keep this old one. It might have the same security code as your new one.
It can be confusing to figure out what documents should be kept and what should be shredded. The important thing to remember is to think about whether the information in these documents is sensitive. This information includes credit card numbers, account numbers, and balances. You should shred them if you are not sure of their security. If you don’t want to worry about identity theft, shred old financial documents after you’ve reviewed them thoroughly. This way, you can be sure that your information is safe. Identity thieves need a minimum amount of information to steal your identity. This can include a credit card statement, a lost or stolen ID, or even a discarded job application. However, many criminals still steal mail and sensitive documents. The good news is that shredding these documents makes sure that these sensitive documents cannot be accessed by identity thieves.
Although the old wives’ tale says that you should keep all your financial documents for at least seven years, it’s actually a good idea to shred some documents sooner. It’s also important to consider the tax implications of shredding old financial documents. For instance, you should not keep credit card offers after seven years, as these could be used by fraudsters to open accounts. You should also shred receipts after utility and credit card payments. While warranty receipts are a good idea to keep, other receipts should be shredded as soon as possible.
Documents that should never be shredded
While it’s tempting to throw away old documents, some should never be shredded. These include utility bills and credit card statements. While it is tempting to throw away these kinds of documents, they contain identifying information and should not be discarded. This is despite the fact that some people may need them for a specific period of time. If you have a business and you shred your documents, you’re exposing yourself to identity theft. Your business and your personal life will be at risk. Those old cash receipts, credit card, and debit card information, and even boarding passes may contain personal information. Rather than letting these things lying around, shred them and eliminate the risk.
Identity theft is a major concern in today’s world. Identity thieves only need a few pieces of personal information to steal a person’s identity. Even an old credit card statement, discarded job application, or a lost ID can all give them access to your sensitive information. However, many people and businesses ignore the importance of shredding their documents. Shredding these items will ensure that sensitive information is impossible to obtain by someone who is not authorized to read it. It will also keep these documents from falling into the wrong hands and being stolen.
Even though paperless offices are becoming more common, many businesses still deal with a substantial amount of paper. And while most of the papers can be tossed out, those containing sensitive information are best kept for at least a year. These documents could potentially put your business at risk. To prevent this, you should contact a paper shredding service that can handle this task for you.
When it comes to the safety of your clients, secure shredding is crucial. By doing this, you can eliminate the risk of identity theft and other security breaches. The fact that your documents are shredded in a secure manner will make your clients trust you more. In addition, shredded documents will allow you to receive security clearance for your documents. In addition to keeping medical records, you should also keep copies of your insurance records. Even though most insurance companies provide electronic statements, you should always retain your original documents. Unlike credit card and utility bills, insurance records should be kept for at least five years. Even expired insurance policies can be a goldmine for identity thieves.
