Many companies aren’t sure how long they should hold onto important tax paperwork. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by piles of papers. However, you don’t want to end up throwing out something that you may need to refer back to down the road. Bankers, accountants, lawyers, and government agencies all have differing opinions about how long you should retain tax documents, which makes the process even tougher. The following guidelines will help you make educated decisions about your tax documents and related paperwork.

In 2012, identity theft cost Americans $24.7 billion. In 2013, it cost Americans $10 billion more than all other types of property crime combined. Not only does identity theft cripple businesses from a financial perspective but it also compromises their safety. It only takes one stray scrap of paper with just the right information still legible to constitute a data breach that can compromise a sterling reputation and bring about a bevy of legal liabilities.

The well-being and reputation of a company often depends on how it protects its business documents and customers’ privacy. Your business’ and your customers’ paperwork is confidential and private. You don’t want it to get in the wrong hands. One way to protect both parties is by hiring professional document shredding services. But how do you select the right shredding service for your business? As you weigh your options, consider the following factors.

One of the most common ways a business has their private data breached is by identity thieves going through documents in the garbage. In an effort to prevent private data ending up in the wrong hands, many organizations use a simple strip shredder to destroy confidential documents. Then they throw the remains as well as all of their other garbage into the company dumpster in the alley or parking lot.

Everything we do in the world today is somehow affected by technology. Technology has made our lives easier and the business we conduct faster. There is no dispute this change in how we are able to perform transactions has made business better. However, there is also no dispute that it poses threats to security. Challenges created by identity thieves and how you are forced to continue protecting the safety of your data is constant. The following are some mistakes made by businesses and how you can prevent them from happening at your company.

The oil and gas industry is expansive and involved in a wide range of regulatory regimes. As such, record and information retention for any oil or gas company is staggering. Many oil and gas businesses are also facing escalating costs right now, including costs associated with discovery. Developing a records inventory and identifying obsolete records are two of the key steps for reducing document storage costs and discovery expenses.

There are many benefits that your business will see if you work with a reputable document destruction company. From scheduled shred days to yearly document purges, these companies can help you save and stay efficient. Before you sign on with a document shredding company, you should be familiar with some questions you can ask them.

In-house document shredding may seem like a great option, but it often comes with hidden costs. These include financial costs as well as reduced security and efficiency. The following are some of the issues that can happen with do-it-yourself document destruction and how to solve those problems.

Identity theft is a serious crime that happens more frequently than ever. When it comes to handling private information, it is important that every business knows how to properly dispose of it. In fact, the government has several laws in place to help make sure private information doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. But just what are these laws? Here’s a quick guide to some of the most important ones.

The proper disposal of sensitive documents is a vital part of any document management plan. A business must know what to shred and when to shred it in order to protect its security and comply with federal regulations. A security or data breach is the last thing any business wants to be responsible for. The best choice is to implement a shred-all policy.