What to Keep - Businesses

• Audit reports of accountants
• Canceled checks for important payments
• Current contracts and leases
• Correspondence on legal and other important matters
• Deeds
• Mortgages and bills of sale
• Depreciation schedules
• Year-end financial statements
• General and private ledgers
• Insurance records, current accident reports, claims, policies
• Minute books of directors' and stockholders' meetings
• Property appraisals by outside appraisers
• Property records
• Tax returns and worksheets, revenue agents' reports and other documents relating to determination of income tax liability
• Trademark registrations 

• Accounts payable ledgers and schedules
• Accounts receivable ledgers and schedules
• Canceled checks
• Expired contracts and leases
• Inventories of products, materials and supplies
• Invoices to customers
• Payroll records and summaries, including payments to pensioners
• Purchasing department copies of purchase orders
• Sales records
• Subsidiary ledgers

• General correspondence
• Employee personnel records (after termination)
• Employment applications
• Expired insurance policies
• Internal reports
• Physical inventory tags 

• Bank reconciliations
• Correspondence with customers or vendors
• Duplicate deposit slips
• Purchase orders (except purchasing department copies)
• Receiving sheets
• Requisitions 

This is only a partial list, and should be used for informational purposes only.  Baden, Gage & Schroeder is not liable for any oversight, omission or legal action resulting from the use of this list.