Item to keep

Reason for keeping

How long to keep

Birth certificate (certified copy or original)

Proof of birth

Indefinitely

Death certificates

Proof of death for Social Security benefits and estate settlement

Until benefits are secured and estate settled; note cause of death for family health history

Marriage records

For proof of marriage to collect insurance, Social Security, and veteran’s federal benefit pension compensations; to settle estate

Until all claims are settled, benefits are received, and estate is settled

Divorce decree

To clear legal requirements for remarriage

Indefinitely

Adoption papers

To prove ages to start to school; for obtaining birth certificates for some jobs; to obtain driver’s license; for marriage license; for registering to vote; to qualify for Social Security benefits; to obtain passports; to determine estate heirs

Indefinitely

Military service: Service record; summary of benefits

To qualify for retirement, insurance, medical, education, and other benefits

Recommend that county or city clerk create additional official record of discharge certificates

Citizenship and naturalization papers

To obtain certain types of jobs; to obtain passport; prove eligibility to vote

Indefinitely

Item to keep

Reason for keeping

How long to keep

Baptismal and confirmation records

Acceptable evidence of birth date when obtaining a delayed birth certificate; proof of church membership

Indefinitely

Copyrights and patents

Proof of ownership rights

Indefinitely

Insurance policies:

List of policy numbers, name of each insured, beneficiary, company, agent

Reference for kinds and amounts of coverage; provides record of payments and premiums and location of policy; provides record of claims

Until collected or expires; until all claims settled; duplicate policies can be easily obtained

Passport

Identification required for most international travel

Retain expired passport to satisfy application requirements for a new one, then discard

Wills

Reference; essential for settlement of estate

Keep original indefinitely in safe or with attorney or clerk of district court