Document Retention & Destruction Policy

This policy implements Article 15 (Document Retention and Destruction) of the UMASDA, Inc. Amended and Restated Bylaws.

This policy provides guidelines for the retention and destruction of records of UMASDA, Inc., to ensure records are kept as long as required for legal, tax, and operational purposes and disposed of appropriately thereafter.

Scope

Applies to all records, paper and electronic, created or received by UMASDA, Inc.

Suggested Retention Periods

• Permanent: Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, IRS determination letter, board meeting minutes, annual corporate filings, and Form 990 returns.
• 7 years: Accounting and financial records, bank statements, contracts (after expiration), and supporting tax documentation.
• 3–4 years: Employment/personnel and volunteer records (after separation), and general correspondence, unless a longer period applies.

Electronic Records

Electronic documents are retained under the same schedule as their paper equivalents; backups are maintained as part of routine operations.

Legal Hold

If litigation, audit, or investigation is reasonably anticipated, destruction of relevant records is suspended until the matter is resolved.

Destruction

Records that have met their retention period are destroyed securely (shredding for sensitive paper; secure deletion for electronic files) under the direction of the officer responsible for records.