Question:
Can I just throw old bills, financial records and other personal documents in the trash?
Quick Answer:
Documents containing sensitive personal or financial information should generally be destroyed before disposal. Shredding documents you no longer need can help protect personal information while reducing the chance that intact records end up somewhere you never intended.
Not All Paper Is Just Paper
Cleaning out a filing cabinet can uncover years of:
- Bank statements
- Old bills
- Tax-related documents
- Medical paperwork
- Insurance information
- Documents containing account numbers
- Papers containing names, addresses or other identifying information
Throwing an intact document into a trash container can expose information unnecessarily.
Know What You’re Throwing Away
Before discarding paperwork, take a quick look at what it contains.
If someone could learn sensitive information about you from the page, treat it differently than an old grocery list.
Shred Sensitive Documents
A cross-cut shredder can make personal documents significantly more difficult to reconstruct.
For large quantities of sensitive material, professional document-destruction services may be a better choice.
The important part is making destruction part of the cleanout process rather than simply throwing intact records away.
Don’t Shred Everything Automatically
Some documents need to be retained for legal, financial or personal reasons.
Before destroying financial, tax, property, insurance or other important records, determine whether you still need to keep them and for how long.
When you’re uncertain, check with the appropriate financial, tax or legal professional before destroying the original.
FAQs
What types of documents should I shred?
Documents containing sensitive identifying, account, financial or other private information are good candidates for secure destruction once they are no longer needed.
Can shredded paper go into regular trash?
Disposal and recycling requirements can vary, so check the rules for the service or facility you’re using.
Should I destroy old tax records?
Don’t destroy important records simply because they’re old. Retention requirements vary depending on the document and your circumstances.