Keeping non-business records

[Jiggers]

I know the rules about keeping business records and for how long.

However, what about keeping records relating to personal items that are not used on my tax return: home utility bills, personal vehicle expenses, home telephone bills, grocery bills, personal charge accounts, etc.

[Ken]

personal records

Jiggers, maybe I'm reading your post not in a way that you intended but my question is, why are you concerned about records that are personnel and not related to your taxes?

[dyne]

keeping personal expense records

There is no law requiring a taxpayer to keep records or receipts or canceled checks of personal expenses except where they may be deducted on schedule A or as an office in home expense or business expense.
I keep canceled checks and receipts of stamps I use for personal use to prove I did not deduct this. I also keep receipts and canceled checks for stamps used for business. If a taxpayer keeps cancelled checks for
all or most personal expenses, it makes it easier for IRS to prepare an indirect method
computation searching for unreported income.

[Brad Imsdahl]

Personal records may be required in the case of assets with a life of more than one year.

For example, if you sell your used underwear at a garage sale for more than you paid for it, you need to report that transaction on Schedule D and be able to prove your cost basis in the underwear.

Side note: Why did Congress feel the need to tell taxpayers that the IRS is authorized to disallow your charitable donation of used socks and underwear?

[jainen]

what they say

I don't care what they say, I'm keeping my Bob Wills records forever. The CD compilations don't sound the same.