Old bank statements.

SideWinder · 30 Dec 2010 at 12:51

I have bank statements that are over 2 years old...do i really need them? A part of me thinks they could be useful as they "prove" i got a student loan and all that sort of thing. So perhaps i could keep a select few and shred the rest?

Van Hellseek · 30 Dec 2010 at 12:52

Get rid of them. Your bank will have them on record if you ever do need a copy.

Also; get with paper-free already.

Cosimo · 30 Dec 2010 at 13:01

Van Hellseek said:
Also; get with paper-free already.

Great for dealings with the taxman.

DJMK4 · 30 Dec 2010 at 13:02

Surely internet banking rules out having the need to have paper statements? my internet banking statement history goes back years, even if I cant find it online, your bank will have a record of it.

SideWinder · 30 Dec 2010 at 13:17

I need to set up my internet banking.

Thanks.

Cosimo · 30 Dec 2010 at 13:20

DJMK4 said:
Surely internet banking rules out having the need to have paper statements? my internet banking statement history goes back years, even if I cant find it online, your bank will have a record of it.

I suppose that it doesn’t matter unless you’re a business or do self-assessment. I prefer to have a hardcopy of all my financial dealings and keep them for six years before they get shredded.

DJMK4 · 30 Dec 2010 at 13:21

simulatorman said:
I suppose that it doesn’t matter unless you’re a business or do self-assessment. I prefer to have a hardcopy of all my financial dealings and keep them for six years before they get shredded.

Yeah for a business then its worth it, for personal then not so much.

Gamefreak501 · 30 Dec 2010 at 13:26

I keep 6 months to 1 years worth of statements, before burning or shredding them.

gillywibble · 30 Dec 2010 at 13:36

Back in ye olden days before the internet, I would keep 6 months worth of statements.

Deadbeat · 30 Dec 2010 at 13:38

I've got about 4 years' statements backed up. Haven't chucked any away since I started keeping them.

Mr-White · 30 Dec 2010 at 13:40

Just shred and recycle. You should be able to access your bank statements online.

MW

buckeejit · 30 Dec 2010 at 14:00

I've got the last 5 years worth of statements, I like keeping things

ANDARIAL · 30 Dec 2010 at 14:24

Don`t forget that a bank will charge you for hard copy's of your statements

Vimes · 30 Dec 2010 at 14:28

...and my bank (Yorkshire) will only allow you to access the last six moths worth of transactions. I can enter dates previous to that but nothing will be shown and they will charge if I wanted a hard copy of any statement.

Glaucus · 30 Dec 2010 at 14:32

Burn em. If you need them you can print new ones off, or request them from the bank.

meghatronic · 30 Dec 2010 at 14:49

Shred and burn.

I'm yet to meet someone who took offence to printouts from online banking. If they do, and they're really needed. your bank can give you copies (£££).

I'm paper free on everything now except for O2 phone bill. It's about 100 pages a month - stupid business account won't go paper free/unitemised offline.

Yamahahahahaha · 30 Dec 2010 at 15:12

I keep statements with large purchases on them. Otherwise bin (shred) after 12 months.

The_Abyss · 31 Dec 2010 at 00:46

Not only bin them, tell them to stop sending you new ones via post.

CD32 · 31 Dec 2010 at 00:53

I like hard copies myself BUT really should change to online only for security reasons. It saves chances of your snailmail going astray along with your details. (Especially if like me your address is similar to another in the vicinity & have had mails delivered to that said address(& vice versa).

Castiel · 31 Dec 2010 at 00:54

We have a quarterly hard copy sent in the mail, other than that we are paperless.

We keep them for 6 years, don't ask me why, the wife is a Charter Accountant and she says thats how long we need them. Who am I to argue.