Free Shred Fridays

Protect Yourself Against Identity Theft, Fraud, and Clutter

Androscoggin Bank announces the Free Shred Fridays - drop your personal* papers and documents off at any Androscoggin Bank locations any Friday between January 20 and April 20, 2012 and we will shred them - free of charge!

While you're in the Bank, find out how to eliminate paper altogether - Online Banking and eStatements are much more secure ways to bank - and they help keep your home clutter-free!

Identity thieves can find all the information they need to ruin your finances by opening your mailbox, going through your garbage or breaking into your home! Fight back by keeping all recent financial documents locked up and shred documents in a timely way.

What to shred:

• Pre-approved credit card offers
• Bank deposit slips and ATM receipts
  (once you've confirmed on your monthly statement)
• Utility bills more than 3 months old
• Paycheck stubs more than a year old
  (once you've confirmed your W2 form matches your stubs)

What to keep:

• Taxes - seven years.
• IRA contributions - permanently.
• Retirement/Savings plan statements - from one year to permanently.
• Bank records - from one year to permanently.
• Brokerage statements - until you sell your securities.
• Bills - from one year to permanently.
• Credit card receipts and statements - from 45 days to seven years.
• House/Condominium records and receipts - from six years to permanently.
  (Source: Bankrate.com)

* Androscoggin Bank restricts participation in Free Shred Fridays to individuals only. Maine-based business, commercial and municipal clients with larger shredding needs should call Security Shredding at (207)946-2319 or go to http://www.securityshredding.biz.