Scanning Receipts

[midaycare]

I've been open about 3 years and I'm noticing that my receipts from the beginning and the first year are fading. Some are unreadable.

I've started scanning receipts, and I'm wondering if the IRS would take a scanned copy in lieu of the real thing?

Thanks

[Thriftylady]

Can you print out the scans? I have started photocopying all of mine due to fading. Then I staple them to the copy. I copy on front and back to save paper. It is a huge hassle though. And I never have been good at the whole scanning thing.

[Leigh]

I've been open about 3 years and I'm noticing that my receipts from the beginning and the first year are fading. Some are unreadable.

I've started scanning receipts, and I'm wondering if the IRS would take a scanned copy in lieu of the real thing?

Thanks

I asked my accountant about this a few months ago. He told me to scan my receipts, save them to a flash drive, and throw out the paper ones.

[AmyKidsCo]

What are you using to scan them? We have the Neat scanner (the thin little one) and it works great to take photos of faded receipts with the Neat app.

[LostMyMarbles]

Definitely back it up on flash drive. I lost three years of tax info when my computer died due to having a cup of coffee spilled on it. Lessons learned!

[Blackcat31]

I've been open about 3 years and I'm noticing that my receipts from the beginning and the first year are fading. Some are unreadable.

I've started scanning receipts, and I'm wondering if the IRS would take a scanned copy in lieu of the real thing?

Thanks

Tom Copeland addresses this issue here

[TomCopeland]

fading receipts

I've been open about 3 years and I'm noticing that my receipts from the beginning and the first year are fading. Some are unreadable.

I've started scanning receipts, and I'm wondering if the IRS would take a scanned copy in lieu of the real thing?

Thanks

According to IRS rules, if you scan a receipt you do not need to save the hard copy. See my article on this: http://tomcopelandblog.com/are-recei...-use-a-scanner

[midaycare]

I feel a zillion times better about this. Finally something about taxes that makes it easier l!

[midaycare]

What are you using to scan them? We have the Neat scanner (the thin little one) and it works great to take photos of faded receipts with the Neat app.

I downloaded a free one to my Android phone. From there I email them to my business email, so they are saved online and never really "lost".

[AmyKidsCo]

I downloaded a free one to my Android phone. From there I email them to my business email, so they are saved online and never really "lost".

Ours are stored in the Neat cloud. I asked DH about backing them up but he said that since Neat IS backup and record-keeping they'll have multiple backups and failsafes.

[jenboo]

What are you using to scan them? We have the Neat scanner (the thin little one) and it works great to take photos of faded receipts with the Neat app.

How do you like the Neat scanner? Is it easy to use?

[Sunchimes]

I scan them in groups on my flatbed a couple of times a month, save them to my computer by month, and I have my computer backed up by Carbonite.

I've been saving 95% of the receipts that come into my house since 1980. I can't bring myself to toss them after scanning though. I need to make this the year.