You get inundated with mail and documents. How do you know if you need to hang onto something? And, if you decide not to keep a letter, a piece of mail, or a form, how do you know when it’s safe to chuck it in the trash, or when you need to put it through a shredder?

Knowing the difference and how to sort and properly dispose of different documents and mail is a key way you can protect yourself from fraud and identity theft. After all, scammers can’t steal your social security number from your trash if the document it was printed on has been properly shredded.

So, what should you keep, what should you shred, and what can you throw away? We’ll walk you through it.

What to Keep

In general, you should keep any documents or papers that include personal information or that create a record. These can include:

• Proof of identity—such as birth certificates and social security cards
• Proof of ownership—like the deed to your house or your car’s title
• Tax documents
• Active insurance policy documents
• Receipts for major financial transactions or purchases

Some documents, like loan documents and bank statements, you’ll want to keep for a short while and then shred. Here’s a quick tip on what to keep and for how long:

• Tax documents—three to seven years
• Loan documents—until the loan is paid off, then keep the payoff confirmation
• Bank statements—one year
• Credit card statements—until the card is paid off
• Utility bills—a few months to a year
• Pay stubs—until tax season is over

Once you no longer need these documents, stick them in the shredder.

What to Shred

In general, shred any documents that contain personal information once they are no longer needed. You should shred any document that contains:

• Social Security numbers
• Bank account numbers
• Credit card numbers
• Dates of birth
• Medical information
• Signatures
• Account passwords or PINs

You can probably take a guess at some of the documents that might include this information—but others might surprise you. Here’s a short list of mail pieces that may have personal information:

• Old bank statements
• Pre-approved credit offers
• Old insurance forms
• Medical bills
• Canceled checks
• Old utility bills

Be sure to shred these carefully, as scammers can use this information to steal your identity if they come across it.

What’s Safe to Toss

So, what can you throw away? Most other mail should be safe to dump in the trash can or recycle, including:

• Generic advertisements
• Catalogs
• Blank forms
• Newspapers and magazines
• Product packaging

In general, when you get a piece of mail, you should ask yourself a few questions as you consider whether to keep or shred it:

• Does this prove who I am?
• Does this prove I own something?
• Could I need it for taxes, insurance, or legal issues?
• Does it contain personal information?

If the answer to the first three questions is yes, keep it. If the answer to the last question is yes, and you no longer need the document, shred it. If the answer to all four questions is “No,” then into the trash or recycling it goes.

If you think someone has stolen your personal information, be sure to report it immediately, and take steps to protect yourself from further harm.