Vault Guardian renewal education
Business tax documents: what to keep and for how long
'How long do I keep this?' is the most-Googled business tax question — because the answer varies by document. Here's the cheat sheet.
'How long do I keep this?' is the most-Googled business tax question — because the answer varies by document. Here's the cheat sheet.
3 years — the standard IRS window
Filed tax returns and supporting schedules. 1099s issued and received. Bank and credit card statements.
Expense receipts and mileage logs. Business meal receipts (with attendees noted).
The 3-year clock starts from the due date or filing date, whichever is later.
6–7 years — the danger zone
Records supporting any loss carryforward or bad debt deduction — 7 years.
If you understated income by 25% or more, IRS can audit 6 years back.
If fraud is suspected: no time limit.
Forever — never throw these away
Formation documents (Articles, EIN letter, Operating Agreement). Property purchase records for as long as you own the property plus 3 years after sale.
Payroll tax records — 4 years minimum but keep permanently. Retirement plan documents.
Contracts and agreements for the life of the relationship plus 7 years.
Digital is fine — but organized
The IRS accepts digital records as long as they're accurate, readable, and available on request.
Backups matter. A hard drive crash is not a defense — you're expected to have redundancy.
Business owners save hundreds of hours by scanning receipts into a searchable vault as they come in. VaultGuardian's Business Vault does this — organized by tax year and category.
Download Vault Guardian to track renewals at 90, 60, and 30 days.