Here we explain what is the period during which you must save each type of document and when you need the shredding services:
Bank statements
We must save them if we do not have our bank’s mobile application or Internet access. We will keep them, until we check that everything is in order and after that period you can destroy them with help of shredding services. The same will happen if we make an income and ask for the voucher.
Receipts for domestic services
We start with the most common and frequent, since they arrive every month. Receipts for domestic services such as electricity, gas or water bills do not have an established legal deadline, but it is advisable to keep them for at least the current term-depending on whether they are monthly, bi or quarterly- until receive the new receipt.
The reason is that they may be necessary for us to make claims, modify contracts, establish new ones and other procedures such as enumerations, etc. On the other hand, in case of a claim for disagreement with a certain payment or service, we will keep the receipt in litigation during the entire term until there is a resolution. Additionally, consumer organizations recommend keeping receipts for twelve months.
Car insurance receipt
We will keep it for all its validity -one year- and we will try to have it on hand in the car, or in a capture on the mobile, if we have a banking application that registers the payments. Although currently the traffic police can check their existence in the databases of the DGT, it is mandatory to have a voucher and can require us in case of not having coverage to perform the verification.
Other insurance receipts
In the case of life insurance, home insurance, etc., prudence advises keeping the receipts until the next, probably annual, because it could be useful in case of litigation, although it is logical that the insurer have registered the payment. In any case, the consumer associations advise to keep them for the entire life of the insurance, that is, as long as it is valid, in case there should be any kind of claim for changes in the contract, etc.
In the event that any of these products has been used to deduct a concept in an income statement, its term of filing will rise to at least four years, according to the law. The reason is that in this period we could be subject to inspections. Of course, insurance contract documents must be kept for the entire life of the service, and it is even recommended up to six months after having finished.
Receipts of various financial products
The experts point to such receipts should be kept for the lifetime of the product, and at least during the four years required by law, as they invariably are included in the statement of income.
Invoices of goods and services acquired
It refers mainly to the purchase of household appliances, but it can be valid for all types of products, including cars or motorcycles. In general, it is convenient to keep the invoice of a product at least while it is under warranty, because it serves as a document to claim it. Although we can legally request a copy of an invoice, this only happens in the first six months and then depends on the goodwill of the merchant.
However, consumer associations recommend keeping bills for the entire life of an appliance, in case we had to claim insurance, for example because it has been damaged by a power surge or a theft. In the case of cars, it is advisable to keep the purchase invoice until we no longer own it. If we have funded it, we will also keep the receipts until we stop paying it.
Working life documents
If we have a Social Security card we must keep it until we retire, and the same thing happens if we have the document or notification of registration in it, with our SS number. Likewise, we will proceed with the periodic extracts of our work life, which we will keep until the next one arrives.
Proof of payments to the Treasury
In general it is advisable to keep the vouchers for sensitive payments, such as fines or taxes, for at least a year, in case there is any problem or litigation, especially if there is no electronic record of them because they have been made in cash.
To read more on topics like this, check out the lifestyle category.
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