There are a lot of different opinions out there when it comes to how long you should keep your pay stubs. Some say you only need to hang on to them for a year; others recommend keeping them for seven years, and others advise you to keep them indefinitely. So what’s the right answer?
In general, keeping your pay stubs for at least one year is recommended. After that, it’s safe to dispose of them. It is important to carefully shred them to ensure that nobody can get hold of your old pay stubs and obtain personal information that you do not want to be made accessible to the public.
How To Keep Pay Stubs – Best Practices
Keep Them Safe And Secure
Your paystubs are important documents that contain confidential information. It is important to keep them in a safe place where no one else can access them. You should also keep your computer and electronic files secure with passwords and encryption software.
Keep A Copy For Your Records
Keeping a copy of your pay stubs for your records is always a good idea. This will help you ensure that the information on the stubs is correct and that you have proof of your earnings if needed.
Make Sure They Are Accurate
It is important to review your pay stubs carefully to ensure that the information is accurate. This includes checking that your hours worked are correct, your hourly rate, and any deductions taken out. If you notice any errors, you should contact your employer immediately to have them corrected.
Don’t Post Them Online
You might not want to post your pay stubs online for several reasons. For one, it could give away too much personal information about your financial situation. It could also lead to identity theft or fraud if your pay stubs were compromised. Additionally, many employers frown upon employees posting their pay stubs online, which could be seen as a breach of trust.
Review Them Regularly
Make sure that the information on your pay stubs is accurate and up-to-date. The first and most obvious reason is to ensure you are being paid the correct amount. You should also review your pay stubs to ensure that all of the deductions and contributions made on your behalf are accurate. If you do not review your pay stubs regularly, you may not notice if any errors need to be corrected.
Another reason to review your paystubs is to protect yourself from wage theft. Wage theft can occur when an employer does not pay workers the correct amount or when they make illegal deductions from employee paychecks.
Why Do You Need to Keep Pay Stubs?
Proof of Employment
One of the most important reasons to keep your pay stubs is proof of employment. If you are ever laid off or fired, you will need to provide documentation to receive unemployment benefits or prove that you were employed. Pay stubs are often used as proof of employment. The most common use for pay stubs as proof of employment is when a person is applying for a new job. Many employers will ask to see a recent pay stub as part of the application process. This is because employers want to ensure that the potential employee is working and receiving a regular paycheck.
Tax Documents
Your pay stubs also serve as important tax documents. The information on your pay stubs calculates how much you owe in taxes each year. Keeping these documents for at least seven years is important, as they may be needed if the IRS audits you.
Mortgage and Loan Applications
When you apply for a mortgage or a loan, the lender will often require you to provide proof of your income. Your pay stubs can be used to verify your employment and income, which is necessary to get approved for the loan. This document is important because it shows how much money you make and how often you are paid. Lenders use this information to determine how much money they are willing to lend you and at what interest rate.
If you are self-employed or have irregular income, you may have difficulty providing pay stubs to lenders. In this case, you may need to provide other documents such as bank statements or tax returns.
Budgeting
Your pay stubs can also be helpful when it comes to budgeting your money. By looking at your pay stubs, you can see exactly how much money you bring in each month and adjust your spending accordingly. This can help you stay on track with your financial goals.
Retirement Planning
One of the biggest concerns for people when it comes to retirement planning is ensuring they have enough money saved up. However, other ways to prepare for retirement are often overlooked. One such way is by using paystubs to estimate how much you can expect to receive in retirement.
Paystubs provide a detailed history of your earnings over the years, which can be used to help your retirement plan. Estimating your future income based on past pay stubs gives you a general idea of how much you will need to save. This information can then be used to create a more accurate budget and retirement plan.
How to Discard Securely Pay Stubs?
If you are about to dispose of your pay stubs, you must be crucial to dispose of them properly. Anyone could obtain your financial data if they are not properly disposed of. The most effective way to dispose of the pay stub or other crucial financial record is to destroy it. If you don’t have an electronic shredder, you could look into the services that shred your documents. Many communities also provide no-cost shredding activities.
Bottomline
This article provides a guide for how long you should keep your paystubs and best practices to keep your paystubs safe and secure. Keep this guide in mind to stay compliant with tax laws and protect your personal information.
