Free Rockford Community Shred Day This Weekend

It goes without saying that shredding sensitive documents is one of the best ways to avoid identity theft, fraud, and other potential problems down the road.

To help you out, the Rockford Better Business Bureau is holding a free Community Shred Day this Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to Noon at MembersAlliance Credit Union on South Alpine. Consumers may bring a maximum of 2 boxes per car for shedding on-site. Organizers say for access to the shredding enter off of Alpine into the shopping center and drive south to the credit unions drive-up area.

Unsure about what to keep and what to shred? Here are some tips from the BBB:

• A good rule of thumb is to keep all tax returns and supporting documentation for seven years. The IRS has three years from your tax-filing date to audit, and has six years to challenge a claim.
• Keep credit card statements for seven years if tax related expenses are documented.
• Keep paycheck stubs for one year. Be sure to cross reference the paycheck stub to the W-2 form.
• Be sure to keep bank statements and canceled checks for at least one year.
• Bills should be kept for one year or until the canceled check has been returned. Receipts for large ticket items should be kept for insurance purposes.
• Home improvement receipts should be kept for six years or permanently.
• Items such as birth certificates, social security cards, insurance policies, titles or wills should be kept permanently in a safety deposit box.
• If you are going to dispose of documents with sensitive information, be sure to SHRED!

If you have any questions or need more information you can call the BBB at 815-963-2222.