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Include these documents when shredding personal files
7/22/2014  |
To keep your personal information safe, you follow the common rules of thumb and shred everything. Is there anything you still might be missing?
“Everything means everything with even part of your name and address, birthdate, social security number, insurance number, driver’s license number, bank/investment account, etc.,” advises Karla Davis, Goodwill Tulsa’s Finance and IT Director.
So, it is also smart to shred documents that contain your name and just one other bit of information. Identity thieves can easily match up even the smallest details and do a lot of damage while pretending to be you.
Other documents you might not think about shredding — but should — are things such as ATM receipts, bills and credit cards receipts. Even used airline tickets, Lifehacker.com recommends: http://lifehacker.com/5977082/what-documents-should-i-shred-and-what-should-i-keep
The Federal Trade Commission advises shredding insurance forms and physician statements. Envelopes with identifying information should be shredded.
You might feel obligated to keep certain documents around, but many are best shredded as soon as they are no longer useful. Old insurance policy documents, tax returns and pay stubs, for instance. Consumer Reports offers guidelines on how long to keep documents (seven years for tax returns and related items; until after verifying W2s or up to one year for pay stubs).
Others suggest shredding expired visas and passports. While they hold sentimental value, they also can be dangerous in the wrong hands. If your circumstances require holding on to them, do so in a secure way like in a safe deposit box.
If you don’t own a strong enough shredder or have a large pile of documents, Goodwill East Campus Industrial Services offers secure document shredding for individuals and businesses.
Other general personal information safety tips:
- Keep separate receptacles for general trash and items to shred.
- Remove mail, especially bills, from mailbox as soon as possible. Consider dropping payments and other outgoing mail off at the post office or in collection mailboxes.
- Have new checks delivered to the bank, not mailed to you.
- Stay on top of your credit report: www.annualcreditreport.com
What other not-so obvious personal documents do you recommend shredding?
