- Tax Documents Beyond Their Retention Period
Once the IRS-recommended three-to-seven-year holding period has expired, outdated tax returns, supporting receipts, and wage statements are a liability. In the wrong hands, they provide a treasure trove of personal information. Shred when you no longer need them to prevent unnecessary risk.
- Bank Statements and Pay Stubs
People typically hold onto bank statements and pay stubs for months and sometimes years. Although they can be handy for reconciling accounts or taxes, they also have account numbers, income information, and personal identifiers. Once you’ve checked everything over and don’t need them, shred them securely.
- Pre-approved Credit Offers
Throwing unwanted, pre-approved credit card or loan materials into the garbage is an open invitation to identity theft. It’s easy for someone to complete them with your name and address. Shredding unwanted, unsolicited offers prevents them from being misused against you.
- Insurance and Medical Record Information
Expired or unnecessary health paperwork, old EOBs, and health summaries contain sensitive health information and insurance details. Having them present threatens your health privacy. Shred them as part of your regular cleanup.
- Utility and Service Bills
Electric, internet, and telephone bills might not seem like a way for potential hackers to cause issues. However, they can be used to pretend to be you or enter your accounts and make changes. Shredding them after you’ve paid them and confirmed the charges can help guard against abuse of your data.
- Anything With Your Signature
It only takes a little for a fraudulent actor to forge your signature. All documents you’ve ever signed, which may be as benign as a delivery confirmation or a sign-in sheet, must be shredded when they are no longer necessary. While many people think that a signature without being notarized is useless, that’s not true. Shredding is an easy practice that makes an important difference.
- Employee and Client Files (for businesses)
For San Ramon businesses, it is more risky to retain files and records for clients and employees beyond what is necessary. These files contain sensitive information such as Social Security numbers, payments, and addresses. Shred unnecessary or redundant copies as part of your standard business security protocols to be compliant and safeguard those you serve.
We’re Ready to Shred in San Ramon
At Jessica’s Shredding Team, we assist residents and local businesses in safeguarding what’s important to them. Our secure shredding process keeps sensitive info out of the wrong hands. We can help with anything from a one-time purge to scheduled pickups. Keeping you compliant is at the root of our business. Please contact us today to talk more about how we can help.
