Guides · Agreements and policies
What should you keep on file about clients, and for how long?
Keep what you need to do the work and what tax law asks for, and nothing more. Money records are kept for years: three to seven in the US depending on the case, and at least five years after the filing deadline in the UK. Notes about a person are kept only as long as you need them.
| Record | United States | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| Invoices and payments | Generally 3 years from filing; 6 if income was underreported by more than 25%; 7 for a bad debt claim | At least 5 years after the 31 January filing deadline for that tax year |
| Contact details | As long as the client is a client, and as tax records need | As long as necessary for the purpose, under UK GDPR |
| Notes about the work | As your profession requires; no general federal rule | As long as necessary, and as your profession’s body requires |
| The agreement they accepted | As long as a dispute could arise | As long as a dispute could arise |
Keep less
Everything you keep about a person is something you have to protect. A note that says “talked about the job offer, deciding by Friday” does the work. A transcript of the session is a risk you’re carrying for no reason.
Delete on a date
Once a year, go through the clients you haven’t worked with for longer than your period and delete what you no longer need. Keep the money records until their own period ends.
On WorkWith, invoices and payments stay with the practice, a private memo on each client never reaches the client or any email, and a client can be removed when you no longer need them.
The client intake and consent form asks only for what most practices need, with every consent left for the client to tick.
Your profession, your state or your regulator may require longer or shorter periods. Check theirs first.
For therapy and health work in the US, where the rules are stricter.
Is a client’s name health information? →Sources: IRS, How long should I keep records?; GOV.UK, Business records if you’re self-employed; UK GDPR, Article 5, on storage limitation. Checked 2026-10-11.