how many years to keep tax records for business
What tax records should I keep? You should keep every tax return and supporting forms. This includes W-2s, 1099s, expense tracking, mileage logs if you itemize and other documents. So why is keeping tax returns for three years important? Keeping tax returns for the three-year time period is tied to the IRS statute of limitations. Under the statute, if you do not file a claim for a refund that you are entitled to, you generally have the later of three years from the date you filed the original return or two years from the date you paid the tax, to file the claim.