While many national banks in the Western Suburbs have recently discontinued their safe deposit box services, Lisle Savings Bank remains committed to providing secure, physical document storage for our neighbors. As you finalize your 2025 filings, moving your sensitive "audit trail" into a secure vault is the most effective way to protect against identity theft and the common risks of home storage, such as fire or basement flooding.
The 3-7 Year Rule: What Actually Needs to Be Stored?
Before you move your records to a safe deposit box, you need to know what to keep. The IRS generally suggests a "3-7 year" retention window depending on your filing status:
- Keep for 3 Years: Basic records including W-2s, 1099s, and receipts for charitable or medical deductions.
- Keep for 6-7 Years: If you have complex filings, investment income, or bad debt deductions, the IRS audit window can extend to six or seven years.
- Keep Permanently: Copies of your actual filed 1040s and all records relating to your home’s cost basis and major improvements.
The Risks of Home Document Storage
Storing these records in a home office or basement in DuPage, Will, or Kane County carries physical risks. Our local water tables make basement storage in areas like Lisle and Naperville susceptible to water damage, and a standard home "firebox" rarely provides the industrial-grade protection found in a bank vault. By centralizing your records in a secure location, you ensure that your original deeds, titles, and tax returns are protected from both environmental damage and theft.
Choosing the Right Size for Your Tax Archive
Not sure which box fits your needs? We offer a range of depths to accommodate everything from a single tax return to a lifetime of property deeds. While availability varies by branch, here is a general guide to our available sizes:
- 3" x 5" x 21": Perfect for your most sensitive "essentials"—passports, birth certificates, and thumb drives with digital tax backups.
- 3" x 10" x 21": A slim but wide option, great for flat-stacking several years of 1040s and legal-sized documents.
- 5" x 10" x 21": Our most popular size for tax records. This height allows for thicker stacks of documents, including several years of supporting receipts and bank statements.
- 10" x 10" x 21": Our largest option, ideal for those with complex filings, business records, or large binders of home improvement receipts and property deeds.
Please Note: Due to the recent removal of safe deposit boxes by many national banks, demand for local vault storage is currently very high. Our box sizes are available on a first-come, first-served basis. We encourage you to contact your local branch today to confirm current inventory and secure your box before the peak of tax season. You must have a deposit account at Lisle Savings Bank to have a box. Box contents are not FDIC insured.
Your Post-Tax Season Checklist
We recommend moving these specific physical items to a secure vault once your 2025 taxes are complete:
- Physical copies of your filed 1040s for the last seven years.
- Original property deeds, titles, and home improvement receipts.
- Year-end brokerage statements and business incorporation records.
Secure Your Archive Today
If you are looking for document storage near Naperville or a secure safe deposit box in Lisle, our team is ready to help. Visit one of our branch locations to see our available box sizes and ensure your financial legacy is protected long after tax season ends.
Inventory and available sizes vary by location. Please contact our Lisle or Naperville-area branches to confirm current availability. To ensure we have the specific size you need, we encourage early inquiries as tax season progresses.
Lisle Savings Bank’s market area is in DuPage, Will, & Kane Counties, which includes the following cities: Aurora, Batavia, Darien, Elmhurst, Naperville, Oakbrook Terrace, St. Charles, Warrenville, West Chicago, Wood Dale, Addison, Bartlett, Bensenville, Bloomingdale, Bolingbrook, Burr Ridge, Carol Stream, Clarendon Hills, Downers Grove, Elk Grove Village, Glendale Heights, Glen Ellyn, Hanover Park, Hinsdale, Itasca, Lemont, Lisle, Lombard, Oak Brook, Roselle, Schaumburg, Villa Park, Wayne, Westmont, Willow Springs, Willowbrook, Winfield, & Woodridge. Some cities listed may extend beyond DuPage, Will, & Kane County. Certain municipalities span multiple counties; only the portions within DuPage, Will, or Kane are included in our primary market area. While the cities and villages listed are part of our market area, a few may partially extend beyond DuPage, Will, or Kane County.