With tax season and spring cleaning coming at the same time of the year it always raises the question of what papers and receipts must I keep and what can I toss?

So here's a quick guide to keepers and losers.

Keep:

• tax returns and proof of filing - forever.
• any papers and documents that support your tax deductions for 6 years.
• stock bond and mutual fund statements for 6 years after reporting a gain or loss or continue to hold them if you still own the investment.

Toss:

• pay stubs when your W-2 arrives.
• 401(K) and IRA statements when your year end summary arrives.
• bank statements at the end of the year.
• utility bills at the end of the year.
• credit card statements every 6 months unless needed for income tax purposes.

And after unloading all these pieces of paper, you may not need to do any more spring cleaning this year!