New Hampshire Document Retention Guide for Residents and Businesses

Every household, every business and every professional practice in New Hampshire holds records. Some of those records you keep forever. Some you keep for a specific number of years and then destroy. The rule for each document type is shaped by federal law, NH state law, industry standards or your own internal policy. Knowing the rule for every common record type is the difference between an organized filing system and a basement full of paper that grows for thirty years.

This guide is the working reference for retention rules in New Hampshire. It is organized by document category so you can find the answer fast. The guidance here is general. For specific records that affect your taxes, your legal position or your professional license, confirm with a CPA, attorney or licensing board. When a record expires, the right next step is documented destruction. 📞 978-636-0301 or book a drop-off.

Why retention rules matter

Retention rules exist because some records are evidence. Tax returns prove what you reported and paid. Medical records prove what was treated and when. Employment files prove what was paid and what was contributed to retirement and benefits. Real estate records prove cost basis when a property is sold. The retention window for each record type is set to cover the period when that evidence could be needed.

The window varies. The IRS audit window is generally three years for most personal returns, six years if income was substantially understated, and unlimited for fraud or unfiled returns. Medical malpractice statute of limitations in New Hampshire is generally three years from injury or discovery. Employment records under federal law (Fair Labor Standards Act, ADEA, Title VII) range from one to seven years depending on the document. Each window has a reason.

Household and personal records

The starting point for any family is the household paper purge. Most households accumulate decades of statements, bills and notices. The rules below cover the common items.

Banking and finance

• Bank statements: Keep 7 years (some advisors say 3, but 7 aligns with the IRS extended audit window). Then shred.
• Cancelled checks: Keep 7 years if they support a tax position. Shred otherwise after 1 year.
• Credit card statements: Keep 7 years if they support a tax deduction. Shred otherwise after 1 year.
• Investment statements: Keep year-end summaries for life of the account plus 7 years after the account is closed.
• Loan documents: Keep until the loan is paid plus 7 years. Keep the satisfaction letter or payoff statement forever.
• ATM and deposit slips: Shred after reconciling against your statement.

Utility, phone and routine bills

• Utility bills: Keep 1 year for reference, then shred. Keep longer if you take a home office deduction.
• Phone bills: Keep 1 year. Shred. Keep longer if billed through a business.
• Insurance policy declarations: Keep the current version. Shred superseded versions.
• Warranty cards: Keep while you own the item. Shred when discarded.

Permanent personal documents (do not shred)

• Birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce decrees, death certificates
• Adoption paperwork
• Current passport and military DD-214 discharge papers
• Current will, trust documents and powers of attorney
• Deeds for currently owned property
• Vehicle titles for currently owned vehicles
• Current homeowners, auto and life insurance policies
• Social security cards

Tax records: federal and New Hampshire

Tax retention is the most-asked retention question. The IRS rule applies in NH along with federal returns. NH does not impose a state income tax on wages, so the federal rule is the dominant one for most residents.

Personal tax returns

• Returns and supporting documents: Keep 7 years from filing for most returns. Keep 3 years if you do not claim worthless securities or bad debt deductions.
• Returns claiming property: Keep until 3 years after the property is sold (cost basis).
• Returns with worthless securities or bad debt: Keep 7 years.
• Unfiled returns: No statute of limitations. Keep forever.
• Fraudulent returns: No statute of limitations.
• W-2 and 1099 forms: Keep 7 years with the related return.
• Donation receipts: Keep 7 years with the related return.

NH Business Profits Tax and Interest & Dividends Tax

The NH Department of Revenue Administration sets retention requirements for state filings. The Business Profits Tax (BPT) and Business Enterprise Tax (BET) records should be kept for 7 years from filing. Interest and Dividends Tax returns and supporting documents should also be kept for 7 years.

Property and real estate tax records

• Property tax bills: Keep 7 years for the deduction year.
• Real estate closing documents: Keep until the property is sold plus 7 years.
• Capital improvement receipts: Keep until the property is sold plus 7 years (cost basis).

Medical and health records

Patients hold their own medical records too, not just providers. Knowing what to keep helps with insurance disputes, future treatment continuity and identity protection.

• Explanation of Benefits (EOB) statements: Keep until reconciled against bills and any appeal window is closed. Shred after 1 year for routine care, 7 years for major procedures.
• Medical bills: Keep 7 years if used for HSA, FSA or deduction documentation. Shred 1 year otherwise.
• Prescription receipts: Keep 1 year for tax purposes. Shred.
• Immunization records: Keep forever.
• Major procedure records: Keep forever or until provider transition.
• Insurance policy paperwork: Keep current version. Shred superseded versions.

For NH healthcare providers

Provider retention rules under New Hampshire state law and HIPAA: 7 years for adult patient records from last date of service. Minor records: 7 years from the date the minor turns 18 (essentially age 25). Mental health and substance use records under RSA 330-A and 42 CFR Part 2 carry their own access rules but the destruction standard is the same. See our pages on medical shredding and mental health records shredding.

Business and employment records

NH businesses operate under federal, state and industry retention rules. The categories below cover the most common documents a small business or professional practice handles.

Tax and accounting

• General ledger and journals: Keep 7 years.
• Accounts payable and receivable records: Keep 7 years.
• Payroll registers: Keep 7 years (FLSA 3 years, IRS 4-7 years, conservative 7).
• Bank statements and cancelled checks: Keep 7 years.
• Sales tax records: Keep 7 years.

HR and personnel

• Personnel files (active employees): Keep duration of employment plus 7 years.
• I-9 forms: Keep 3 years after hire or 1 year after termination, whichever is later.
• Job applications (not hired): Keep 1-2 years (ADEA, Title VII).
• OSHA logs and injury records: Keep 5 years from year of record.
• Workers’ comp claims: Keep 10 years from claim closure.
• Retirement plan records: Keep 6 years after plan termination (ERISA).

Customer and operations

• Contracts: Keep duration of contract plus statute of limitations (NH general 3 years for written contracts, sometimes longer).
• Customer correspondence: Keep 3 years from last activity.
• Marketing campaign records: Keep 3 years.
• Vendor invoices and contracts: Keep 7 years.

Legal and estate records

Some legal records are permanent. Others have a defined window. The rules below cover the common categories. For specific files, confirm with an attorney.

What to do when records expire

Knowing the retention rule is half the policy. The other half is what happens at the end of the window. The right answer is documented destruction, not the trash can or the recycle bin. Documented destruction means a BNBA A+-compliant cross-cut shredder, a chain-of-custody log and a signed Certificate of Destruction.

Three service tiers

• Drop-off ($0.99 per pound): Walk in to our Tewksbury, MA facility during open hours. No appointment. Same-day Certificate of Destruction. Best for households and small businesses with under five boxes.
• Off-site (by appointment): We arrive at your home, office or storage unit in a locked vehicle. Records destroyed at our facility under chain of custody. Certificate within two business days. Best for larger purges, business retention cycles or any project where transport is the bottleneck.
• Witnessed ($1.99 per pound, by appointment): You watch destruction at our facility in real time. Best for highly sensitive records, contested estates, supervisory chain of custody.

See our full pricing page for current rates and the services overview for a comparison of all four service tiers.

Why documented destruction matters

If a question ever surfaces about what happened to a specific record, the Certificate of Destruction is the document that closes the question. It lists destruction date, location, method and reference number. NH state law, federal regulations and many industry rules treat documented destruction as the default acceptable disposal method.

Why office shredders are not enough

Office shredders are slow, jam often, produce strip-cut output (which is reconstructable) and never produce a Certificate of Destruction. For any volume above a single shoebox per year, a professional destruction vendor is cheaper, faster and produces the audit trail you may need. Read our analysis at the true cost of operating office shredders.

Frequently Asked Questions