How Long Are You Required to keep Cancelled Checks?

[Whoson1st]

I've got to do some cleaning and throwing away on a HUGE scale!!!

Is there some limit I must keep old cancelled checks to show that I paid a bill?

Thanks!

 

[billsfan]

You don't need to as your bank should have them available if needed.

 

[Whoson1st]

Thanks.
I kinda thought that. But Bank website shows you can see checks for 18 months. That's not real long, but I guess they do have their own records for longer than that.
Several years ago, I did a credit check and found there was a company that said I never paid their bill. The company was one---I had NEVER even HEARD of. I can't recall the name now. Anyway, it was somhow tied in as a THIRD party to a home burgler security deal (townhouse) that I had purchased. No amount of explaining would work to anyone. IF I had not had the checks to show that I Knew were for this type of thing--I would have been out of luck! They NEVER DID acknowledge that I did not owe this bill, but the lendor believed me as I bent over backwards with checks etc. It was a third party billing mishandling--that I had no control over AT ALL. So I have checks over 20 years old!