# Mortgage Document Retention

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mortgage-document-retention/915119>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 12, 2020, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mortgage-document-retention/915119 "2020-07-12T14:20:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mtnmatt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@mtnmatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mtnmatt)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2020, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mortgage-document-retention/915119/1 "2020-07-12T14:20:39Z")

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I have a primary mortgage that I’m about 9 years into, and a HELOC that I’m about 5 years into. I am current with the payments, and have both through my primary credit union where I do all my D2D banking, and I don’t have any issues or complaints with the deals.

I was cleaning out some files and have about a 6 inch pile of paper - initial disclosures through final executed copies of all the documents.

Other than the title insurance docs, Do I need to keep all this paper?

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**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2020, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mortgage-document-retention/915119/2 "2020-07-12T15:06:53Z")

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Not really a GQ answer, but you never really know if or when some part of that documentation might be needed. I would seal it in a box and stow it out of the way somewhere.

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**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2020, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mortgage-document-retention/915119/3 "2020-07-12T15:20:18Z")

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FWIW, my father once told me you keep all mortgage documentation until you no longer have the mortgage (and any/all refinanced mortgages on the property) and you own the property outright. Then you keep the property documentation until you die, or you sell the property, whichever comes first.

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**Author:** ![mtnmatt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@mtnmatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mtnmatt)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2020, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mortgage-document-retention/915119/4 "2020-07-12T20:03:09Z")

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Thanks for the replies, which are what I thought, and it is easy enough to store.

Sorry if I put the question in the wrong place - it was my first OP.

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**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2020, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mortgage-document-retention/915119/5 "2020-07-12T22:01:32Z")

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In theory, the bank has it, but you never know. I’ve got all of my mortgage and deed paperwork sealed in a “food saver” vacuum bag so it stays clean and dry, and it lives in my fireproof safe.

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**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2020, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mortgage-document-retention/915119/6 "2020-07-13T15:06:26Z")

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Very unlikely the bank has any originals, just scans of them. Which also might be a good idea on your part to scan everything in.