Personal Finance and Investing

How Long Is Long Enough?

Generally speaking, tax returns and related documents should be retained for at least as long as the IRS or a state taxing authority is permitted to audit that return. This period of time is referred to as the statute of limitations. It's three years from the date the tax return was actually filed for federal returns, or three years from the April 15 deadline if the return was filed before the deadline.

Each state has its own statute of limitations on audits. Many states follow the federal time period of three years, but others have longer time periods.

For example, Montana has a five year time period for audits.

https://www.thebalance.com/how-long-to-keep-tax-returns-3973943

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That said, I have mine going back to the mid-1980s. They are all in the same place, one huge envelope.