What Kind of Records Should I Keep

Purchases, sales, payroll, and other transactions you have in your business will generate supporting documents. Supporting documents include sales slips, paid bills, invoices, receipts, deposit slips, and canceled checks. These documents contain the information you need to record in your books. It is important to keep these documents because they support the entries in your books and on your tax return. You should keep them in an orderly fashion and in a safe place. For instance, organize them by year and type of income or expense.

The following are some of the types of records you should keep:

• Gross receipts are the income you receive from your business. You should keep supporting documents that show the amounts and sources of your gross receipts. Documents for gross receipts include the following:
  • Cash register tapes
  • Deposit information (cash and credit sales)
  • Receipt books
  • Invoices
  • Forms 1099-MISC

• Purchases are the items you buy and resell to customers. If you are a manufacturer or producer, this includes the cost of all raw materials or parts purchased for manufacture into finished products. Your supporting documents should identify the payee, the amount paid, proof of payment, the date incurred, and include a description of the item to show that the amount was for purchases. Documents for purchases include the following:
  • Canceled checks or other documents reflecting proof of payment/electronic funds transferred
  • Cash register tape receipts
  • Credit card receipts and statements
  • Invoices
• Note: A combination of supporting documents may be needed to substantiate all elements of the purchase.

• Expenses are the costs you incur (other than purchases) to carry on your business. Your supporting documents should identify the payee, the amount paid, proof of payment, the date incurred, and include a description of the item purchased or service received that shows the amount was for a business expense. Documents for expenses include the following:
  • Canceled checks or other documents reflecting proof of payment/electronic funds transferred
  • Cash register tape receipts
  • Account statements
  • Credit card receipts and statements
  • Invoices
• Note: A combination of supporting documents may be needed to substantiate all elements of the expense.

• Travel, transportation, entertainment, and gift expenses
  If you deduct travel, entertainment, gift or transportation expenses, you must be able to prove (substantiate) certain elements of expenses. 

• Assets are the property, such as machinery and furniture, that you own and use in your business. You must keep records to verify certain information about your business assets. You need records to compute the annual depreciation and the gain or loss when you sell the assets. Documents for assets should show the following information:
  • When and how you acquired the assets
  • Purchase price
  • Cost of any improvements
  • Section 179 deduction taken
  • Deductions taken for depreciation
  • Deductions taken for casualty losses, such as losses resulting from fires or storms
  • How you used the asset
  • When and how you disposed of the asset
  • Selling price
  • Expenses of sale

• The following documents may show this information:
  • Purchase and sales invoices
  • Real estate closing statements
  • Canceled checks or other documents that identify payee, amount, and proof of payment/electronic funds transferred

• Employment taxes

  There are specific employment tax records you must keep. Keep all records of employment for at least four years.

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