Just how long should you keep all your papers? Keep for one year - utility bills, pay stubs, bank and credit card statements. Keep for six years - investments statements, tax returns and supporting documents. Keep all receipts, for big-ticket purchases, with your house insurance policy incase you have to make a claim. Save insurance policies, deeds, warranties and manuals until they expire or the item is sold. Keep a permanent file for big loans paid off (mortgage, car, personal loans etc). This way you have prove they are paid off if for some reason they were reported to credit bureaus as being unpaid.