How long should you keep documents? Retention periods for home
At home, paper piles up unnoticed. Tax papers, bank statements, policies, warranty cards and whole folders of paperwork from years ago. The question is always the same: how long must I keep this, and when may it go? This article gives the practical retention period per document type, plus what you do once the period is over.
Is there a retention obligation for private individuals?
Unlike businesses, as a private individual you have no general legal retention obligation. Still, there are good reasons to keep certain documents. You need them as proof for tax, to make a warranty claim or in an insurance matter. The periods below are practical guidelines, not law.
Retention periods per document type
| Document | Keep | After that |
|---|---|---|
| Tax return and supporting documents | 5 years (owned home 7 years) | Destroy |
| Bank statements | 2 years in practice, 7 years as tax proof | Destroy |
| Payslips and annual statements | Until pension check, at least 5 years | Destroy |
| Insurance policies | While valid plus a few years | Destroy |
| Mortgage and deed of sale | While owned plus 5 years after sale | Destroy |
| Warranty cards and receipts | While the warranty runs | Destroy |
| Energy and phone, annual bills | 2 years | Destroy |
| Medical bills and excess | Until settled, then a few years | Destroy |
| Diplomas, deeds and pension overviews | For life | Keep |
The 7-year tax period is explained further in our guide on the 7-year tax retention obligation. A fuller overview per category is in the retention periods cheatsheet.
In doubt? A few rules of thumb
- Is it supporting evidence for tax? Keep it at least 5 years.
- Does it relate to an ongoing warranty, insurance or mortgage? Keep it as long as that runs.
- Is it purely informational and years old? Then it may go.
- When genuinely in doubt, keep it one more year.
What do you do once the period is over?
Documents with personal data do not belong unshredded in the waste paper. A bank statement or policy with your details is sought after by fraudsters. Read how to shred bank statements and which items do not belong with paper at all in what does not belong in the paper bin.
Small quantities
A handful of sheets you shred yourself with a cross-cut shredder, see destroying confidential documents at home.
Whole boxes at a time
Do you have boxes full after a clear-out or an estate? Have it collected and destroyed, with a certificate as proof. See archive destruction for individuals.
And digital documents?
More and more post arrives digitally. The same practical periods apply. Deleting a file does not fully erase the data, it stays on your device until overwritten. If you dispose of an old laptop or phone, destroy the data carrier too. Read more in data destruction.
Lots of old paperwork to clear out?
We collect your papers at your home and destroy them confidentially, with a certificate. No call-out charge within 20 km of Amsterdam, the same price as for businesses.
Request a quoteFrequently asked questions
How long should I keep my tax return?
For private individuals 5 years is practical, for an owned home 7 years. Keep the return and the supporting documents together.
Do I have to keep paper documents at home?
There is no legal obligation for private individuals, but you need some documents as proof for tax, warranty or insurance. Diplomas and deeds you keep for life.
What do I do with documents once the period is over?
Documents with personal data do not belong unshredded in the waste paper. Shred small quantities yourself or have whole boxes collected and destroyed.
Does this apply to digital documents too?
Digital files fall under the same practical periods. Deleting a file does not fully erase the data. When disposing of a device, the data carrier should be destroyed.
Conclusion
How long you keep documents depends on the type. Tax papers and supporting documents you keep for years, diplomas for life and informational post may go after a while. The rule is simple. Keep what you need as proof and destroy the rest carefully. A few sheets you shred yourself, whole boxes you have collected with a certificate.
Want your old paperwork collected? Request a quote via desnipperaar.nl or read how to have paper shredded. Within 5 minutes you have a fixed price.