Question Box

● How long should items be retained in the congregation file?

Records dealing with finances are to be kept at least seven years or longer, as required by the statute of limitations in your state. This includes such records as those pertaining to magazine and literature accounts. Records on building a Kingdom Hall, major repairs, and others that may be needed or useful beyond seven years may be kept indefinitely.

After one year, copies of subscription slips, literature and handbill and magazine order forms, temporary pioneer applications and similar items may be destroyed.

Publisher’s Record cards should be retained showing at least the last eight years of activity for each publisher. Older cards may be destroyed. Monthly field service report slips, after being tabulated and posted on Publisher’s Record cards, do not have to be retained. Monthly field service records and meeting attendance records for the congregation will be kept eight years, or longer if desired.

Letters from the circuit overseer informing the congregation of circuit assemblies, his visit to the congregation, etc., may be discarded after the event that they discuss has passed. Circuit overseer’s reports on visits to the congregation and related correspondence will be retained at least eight years.

Material dealing with the appointment of elders, ministerial servants and those serving as regular pioneers will be kept indefinitely.

Printed letters from the Society dealing with special issues of magazines, travel to international assemblies, etc. can be disposed of after the special activity or assembly that they discuss has passed. It would be well to keep indefinitely letters of instruction, such as: How to Handle Subscriptions Properly (S-11), Instructions for Congregation Accounting (S-27), Public Meeting Talk Titles (S-99), How to Request a Territory Adjustment (S-6), Congregation Territory Assignment (S-54), and letters of instruction regarding pioneering, also current public meeting, funeral, and Memorial outlines.

Judicial matters: Confidential correspondence dealing with serious judicial matters should be kept in a safe place, accessible only to elders. It should be retained for at least five years from the date a case is handled to its completion, or longer if the elders deem it advisable in certain cases.

We realize that the above does not cover every item or piece of correspondence, but the general guidelines will be of help to the elders with the file.