How Long to Keep Business Records: 5 Tips to Protect Your Business

These legal deadlines are often different from one state to another. For instance, legal deadlines can vary from three to 15 years by the state regarding the breach of contracts. First, you may need them in the case of auditing your business – which can happen with no cited reason and at any time. Exempt vs. non-exempt employees have different rules when it comes to compensation. Learn what the differences are and how it can impact your business. The new tax law will have a major impact on your taxes, including on how you write off your mileage.

In this article, we’ll explain how long you should keep business records for your small business. The length of time you should keep a document depends on the action, expense, or event which the document records. Generally, you must keep your records that support an item of income, deduction or credit shown on your tax return until the period of limitations for that tax return runs out.

The IRS Forms Required for an LLC Without Employees or Earnings

Use these tips to make sure you keep the correct documents, store them securely and dispose of them the right way. You also need to safely store employee records like worker contact information (address, Social Security number, birth date and more). Keep payroll records, tip reports, timesheets, dates of employment and employee benefits for at least four years.

In this article, we’ll help you work through the things you should know about recordkeeping when closing your business. Depreciation schedules and asset-inventory records should be kept permanently. When your records are no longer needed for tax purposes, do not discard them until you check to see if you have to keep them longer for other purposes. For example, your insurance company or creditors may require you to keep them longer than the IRS does. Because you are never completely off the hook when it comes to IRS audits.

Exceptions to the three-year rule

Businesses organized as corporations should keep some additional documents. These include board and shareholder meeting minutes, annual reports, corporate bylaws and amendments, and a stock ledger permanently. Because asset values can depreciate over time, your records will help an auditor or tax professional calculate the asset’s depreciation, amortization, accumulated depreciation-land improvements or depletion deductions. They can also help them assess the gains or losses realized from the sale or disposal of the property. Records may include deeds, titles, or documents showing an asset’s purchase date and price, use, and sales date and price. The IRS recommends you back up your paper documents electronically in case of flood, fire, or other disaster.

Not only can you file for an amended tax return via these records, but these can also help you prepare your future tax returns. IRS also recommends that you must retain any supportive documents pertaining to your business gross income claim until your tax return’s period of limitation expires. If your business has employees, then you must retain all the tax records for each employee. You must keep records of employment tax records for at least four years after the tax became due or paid in full. First, keep copies of your filed income tax returns indefinitely. You’ll also have them handy if you need to file an amended return to make corrections later.

Period of Limitations that apply to income tax returns

These documents may come in physical form, such as copies of records stored across multiple document libraries or filing cabinets. The
guidelines may vary depending on your industry and circumstances. When stored, you should make sure to classify them based on their accessibility requirements.

• For example, Timeero helps companies collect and store digital data for managing the mobile workforce.
• These insights can help you refine your strategy and plan for the future, all while ensuring you stay in compliance with tax regulations.
• These include company formation documents and ownership records such as stock ledgers, titles, deeds, property records, and contracts.
• The SBA and many state agencies recommend that you keep most of your business records for at least seven years after closing.
• Any contract or lease the business is a part of is also crucial to retain.
• Once you know what types of records you have, it’s time to figure out how long to keep tax returns, statements and other documents.

Your insurance company or creditors may require that you hold onto things for a little longer. It’s important to get into the habit of recording your business mileage each time you use your car for business-related travel. Try keeping a logbook in the glove compartment and jotting down the mileage of each business-related trip. Record parking fees and tolls, and save your gas and oil, insurance, and repair receipts. It’s easy to forget about some of last year’s expenses when you’re filling out your tax return.

Asset records

Employment tax records should be kept for the duration of each employee’s tenure with your company. In the event that an employee is terminated, their records should be kept for at least three years. This will ensure that you have all the necessary documentation in the event of a dispute. Furthermore, keeping accurate records will help to protect your business in the event of an audit. The IRS has strict guidelines regarding the retention of employee records, and failure to comply can result in significant penalties.