It’s safe to say that 2020 wasn’t a “normal” year by any stretch of the imagination, but one thing about it does remain fixed: on April 15th, your taxes are still due. Preparing your taxes can be a challenging task, not just because of the intricate details you’ll need to find, but also because of the nature of the information you’ll be handling. When so much of your personally identifiable information (PII) is contained in one location, how can you reliably keep it safe?
For the purposes of this article, we’ll assume that you’re already careful with who actually sees your tax records as you’re preparing to submit them. You should be using secure, verified online software if filing digitally, and if filing in person, it’s always a good idea to send your taxes via registered mail, so you’ll be able to monitor where they are and ensure that they’ve been properly delivered.
Instead, we’ll be focusing on the secret to keeping your at-home tax records safe and secure, no matter what format they’re stored in or on.
1. Nothing Beats Lock & Key
Even if you’re the only person who regularly enters the room where your tax documents are stored, your best bet is still to keep them under lock and key. Ideally, you’ll be able to store them in a fireproof safe of some kind to ensure that they’ll be safe no matter what circumstances arise, but minimally, they should be locked in a secure container or location, such as a desk drawer or lockbox.
This serves two purposes. First, it ensures that any guests in your home won’t accidentally damage or misplace your tax records. Secondly, it helps make sure that even if someone breaks into the room where the records are kept, they won’t be able to access them immediately, which increases the odds that you’ll be able to alert the proper authorities faster than they’ll be able to break into the lock.
2. Keep Digital Files Encrypted
If you have your tax records stored digitally (such as image files or a PDF scan of the original papers), then the name of the game is encryption. Encryption means that the document or file won’t be accessible without a specific password. There are plenty of tutorials available online for learning how to perform encryption on your own, but if you want more robust protection, there are also plenty of secure software packages available that can do the task for you.
3. Discarding Hard Drives or Paper? Destruction is the Answer
Now that we’ve discussed how to keep your tax records safe while we’re using them, it’s time to address what happens to them after they’re no longer needed. The worst thing you can possibly do for your information, both on paper or in an e-media format, is to discard it in your trash. However, it’s also not realistic to hoard your records forever (although you should keep them for the number of years recommended by the IRS), so what are your options?
The best way to ensure that no one accesses your items without permission is to destroy your records before allowing them to leave your possession. Unfortunately, a pair of scissors won’t do the job as well as you need. For industry-grade protection, you’ll need a professional e-media and paper shredding service. A paper shredding service will drive to your location, collect your documents and hard drives, and transport them safely back to a shredding facility where the destruction takes place. This guarantees that your tax records can’t be stolen or recovered after you throw them out.
Paper Shredding Services from ATI Secure Docs
At ATI Secure Docs, we offer a variety of document and paper destruction services designed to perfectly suit your shredding needs. From a one-time purge shredding right at your front door to regularly scheduled service to your office, you’ll only pay for the shredding you actually need. If you’re not sure which of our services would be best suited to the task at hand, call us and ask! Our staff is standing by to answer your questions.
For more information on ATI’s secure paper shredding services, give us a call at (877) 314-5273. You can also send us a message online.