Best practices for safely managing documents during tax season

Tax season is here, and for many individuals and businesses, it brings stacks of paperwork: old tax returns, payroll records, bank statements, and financial documents. Before tossing anything out, it’s critical to ask: Is this information being destroyed securely?

Old tax documents contain highly sensitive information, including Social Security numbers, bank account details, and employer identification numbers. Improper disposal can lead to identity theft, fraud, and data breaches. Secure shredding isn’t just about clearing clutter; it’s an essential step in protecting your personal and financial information.

Why Old Tax Documents Are a Security Risk

Last year’s paperwork may feel outdated, but it’s still valuable to criminals. Tax records often include:

  • Social Security numbers

  • Employer Identification Numbers (EINs)

  • Bank and investment account details

  • Payroll and employee information

Throwing these documents away without shredding can expose your data to theft. Secure document destruction ensures sensitive information stays out of the wrong hands.

🔐 Secure shredding helps protect against identity theft and fraud—especially during tax season, when financial scams are at their peak.

How Long Should You Keep Tax Records?

Before shredding, make sure you’re following IRS document retention guidelines. The IRS generally recommends keeping tax records for three to seven years, depending on your situation:

  • 3 years – Standard rule for most filed returns

  • 6 years – If income was underreported by more than 25%

  • 7 years – If you claimed losses from bad debt or worthless securities

  • Indefinitely – If you never filed or filed a fraudulent return

Once those timeframes pass, secure shredding is the safest way to dispose of documents.

What Tax Documents Should Be Shredded?

After the retention period, you should securely shred:

  • Old tax returns

  • Payroll and pay stubs

  • Bank and credit card statements

  • Canceled checks

  • Receipts with financial details

  • Investment and financial statements

  • Supporting tax forms (W-2s, 1099s, etc.)

These documents contain enough information to compromise your identity if improperly discarded.

Home Shredders vs. Professional Shredding

While home shredders can handle small amounts of paperwork, they often:

  • Take a long time for large volumes

  • Don’t guarantee complete destruction

  • Leave you vulnerable to identity theft

Professional shredding services, like Proshred Security, use industrial-grade shredders that ensure the complete and secure destruction of all documents in just a few minutes. All shredded paper is 100% recycled! Proshred partners with certified recycling facilities, turning old documents into new products. This ensures secure disposal while supporting environmentally responsible practices.

Proshred’s Secure Shredding Solutions

🔒 On-Site Shredding – Proshred’s mobile shredding service comes directly to your home or business and destroys documents on-site while you watch, providing maximum security and peace of mind.

📦 Drop-Off Shredding – Perfect for individuals and small businesses, Proshred’s drop-off shredding services make tax season cleanouts fast, convenient, and secure.

Businesses with large volumes of tax records can take advantage of:

  • One-time bulk shredding for tax season purges

  • Scheduled shredding services for ongoing compliance

Proshred services comply with IRS guidelines, HIPAA, and FACTA, and every job includes a Certificate of Destruction for your records.

Protect Your Data This Tax Season

📂 Tax season is the perfect time to clean out old files—but only if they’re securely destroyed.
🔐 Secure shredding protects against identity theft and fraud.
♻️ Professional shredding ensures safe, compliant, and eco-friendly disposal.

Whether you need a one-time purge or ongoing shredding services, Proshred is here to help you protect what matters most.

Contact Us Today
Share this: