The Important Documents Every Canadian Family Should Have on File
If you can't find every document on this list in under two minutes, this is where you start.
This is the master list. If you can find every document on it in under two minutes, you're organized. If you can't, this guide is the starting point — five categories, organized once, that cover almost everything a Canadian household ever needs to produce on short notice.
Identity documents
- Birth certificates for every family member
- Social Insurance Number cards
- Passports — adults and children
- Provincial health cards
- Driver's licences and vehicle ownership
- Citizenship, PR, or immigration papers
Financial documents
- Last 6 years of tax returns and Notices of Assessment
- T4, T5, T3, RRSP contribution slips
- Bank and credit card statements, 12 months
- Investment statements — RRSP, TFSA, RESP, non-registered
- Loan agreements — auto, personal, student
Property and housing
- Deed or lease agreement
- Mortgage documents and renewal history
- Property tax bills
- Home and auto insurance policies
- Appliance warranties and receipts
Medical documents
- Health card numbers
- Immunization records
- Prescription list with dosages
- Specialist referral letters
- Advance care directive, if applicable
Legal documents
- Original will, and the location of the executor's copy
- Powers of attorney — property and personal care
- Marriage certificate or divorce decree
- Custody agreements
- Pet ownership and vet records
How long to keep each document
Not everything needs to be kept forever — knowing what to shred and when keeps the filing system from becoming its own project.
- Tax returns and supporting slips: 6 years (CRA requirement)
- Bank and credit card statements: 1 year, unless needed for taxes
- Home purchase documents: as long as you own the home, plus 6 years
- Insurance policies: while active, plus 3 years
- Wills, birth certificates, passports, marriage certificates: permanently
Turn this into a printable system
Every post pairs with a binder or checklist you can actually put on the fridge.
Take this with you: the free Important Documents Checklist for Canadian Households
A printable PDF of the full checklist, emailed to you. The five categories of documents every Canadian family needs on file, and how long to keep them.
Read the checklist onlineAll free resourcesPersonalized version, CA$9
Frequently asked questions
The CRA requires you to keep tax records and supporting documents for 6 years from the end of the tax year they relate to.
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