Guide to investment

How long to keep records

In most cases, you must keep your written evidence for five years from the date we send you the notice of assessment for the relevant tax return (generally taken to be the date on the notice).

In some circumstances the retention period or start date is different. If you:

• have claimed a deduction for decline in value (formerly known as depreciation), the five-year retention period starts from the date of your last claim for decline in value
• acquire or dispose of an asset, keep your records for five years after it is certain that no capital gains tax (CGT) event can happen for which those records will be needed to work out a capital gain or capital loss
• are in dispute with us, keep your records until the later of
• five years from the date we process your return (generally taken to be the date on the notice), or
• the date the dispute is finalised.

For more information on record keeping, refer to Keeping your tax records.

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Sections within Keeping good records

• Records you should keep
• How long to keep records