Its well past spring cleaning season, but that doesnt mean the stack of papers of things to go through and file has gotten any smaller.  Many people are not quite sure what important papers they should keep, what they should shred, and how long they should hang on to them.  A few suggestions:

• Deposit, ATM receipts- Save until the transactions appear on your bank statement and you verify it is accurate.
• Past tax returns – 7 years past the year you file
• Real estate property deeds/title paper work Duration of ownership plus up to 6 years after a change of ownership
• Passports – Most recent, until replaced
• Medical records – Permanently
• Employment Records – Permanently