How long should you keep bank/credit card statements?

jimmyjim_uk

At present I keep bank statements for 12 months.

I keep all my credit card statements.

I also keep all my statements to do with my loan, currently 18 months of 3 year loan.

Just wondering how long you should keep this kind of stuff for and why?

Apologies if this has been covered elsewhere (I have done a search) and thanks for any responses!!!!

Al_Mac

As long as you feel you need to, I tend to get rid of bank statements a years worth at a time, after at least a year. Credit cards I keep no more than six months.

Friend gets rid straight after he's checked them, scans it to keep.

I do have an accounts package, so I don't feel the need.

Don't forget to shred them.
:beer:

calleyw

I thought you where suppose to keep all financial papers for 6 years.

Just incase the Tax man wants to investigate you. As they can go back 6 years. And how would you prove things if you have chucked it all away.

Yours

Calley

grumbler

calleyw wrote:

I thought you where suppose to keep all financial papers for 6 years.

I think this concerns only P60 forms and something similar related to your income.

lipidicman

I think I still have all of mine (going back to 1993 ish)

dougk_2

Certainly I would keep them for as long as possible!
6 years may seem a long time but you never know when a missed payment can show up.
Keeping bills and staements for a long peiod of time can be very interesting when you look back at them 10 years later and see how you spent your money and how things have changed.

mountainofdebt

I reckon its 6 years.

Must admit last year I shredded statements that I'd kept since 1988.....yes I did have to empty the bin a few times!

Midas

I recently used 6 year old bank statements to support and insurance claim I was making - so I'd recommend at least 7 years.

Walletwatch

I'd keep it for posterity if I had the space. Have had it for the past eight years anyway. Other than the utility in terms of a trail of payments made or received, I think there is a softer aspect to it as well - it can be a very illuminating experience, looking at bank statements of 3-4 years back - one tends to realise how things that seemed so important back then pale into insignificance...

Let me stop before I get too philosophical.... and I'm not even drinking tonight ;-)

homersimpson_3

the whole of your life- you never know when you need them.

Turning_into_scrooge

jimmyjim_uk wrote:

At present I keep bank statements for 12 months.

I keep all my credit card statements.

I also keep all my statements to do with my loan, currently 18 months of 3 year loan.

Just wondering how long you should keep this kind of stuff for and why?

Apologies if this has been covered elsewhere (I have done a search) and thanks for any responses!!!!

You should really keep them for 6 years in case there is a dispute but to be honest i chuck them after 2 years