Given a passage and a query based on the passage, generate an unambiguous, concise and simple answer to the query from information in the passage. Note that the answer may not be present in exact form.
Q: How long should I keep tax returns? In most cases, you should plan on keeping tax returns along with any supporting documents for a period of at least three years following the date you filed or the due date of your tax return, whichever is later. If, for example, you find that you failed to claim a credit on an old return that would've given you a refund, you can amend that return using Form 1040X within three years of its original filing date, or within two years of the date you paid taxes for that return -- whichever is later. Holding on to your old tax records can also work out in your favor. Just as the IRS gets three years to re-examine old tax returns, so, too, can individual tax filers claim refunds up to three years after the fact. How Long Should I Keep My Tax Returns? Don't be too quick to toss out your old tax returns. You should hang onto those forms for a minimum of three years -- sometimes more. That said, the IRS will advise you to keep your old tax returns and records even longer in the following situations: You failed to report income for a given year, and that amount exceeds 25% of the gross income shown on your return. You filed a fraudulent return. You didn't file a return for a given tax year. That said, the IRS will advise you to keep your old tax returns and records even longer in the following situations: 1  You failed to report income for a given year, and that amount exceeds 25% of the gross income shown on your return. 2  You filed a fraudulent return. 3  You didn't file a return for a given tax year. Tax returns sent on or before the deadline. You should keep your records for at least 22 months after the end of the tax year the tax return is for. If you send your 2015 to 2016 tax return online by 31 January 2017, keep your records until at least the end of January 2018. It's natural to want to clear out your filing cabinets and free up more space, but when it comes to tax returns, you shouldn't be too quick to toss out old information. The IRS gets three years from each year's tax filing deadline to audit and reassess old returns. Editor’s Note: If your tax return is still buried under a pile of papers next to your computer, it’s probably time to do a little organizing. To help get you set we asked Anna Sandall of the Tax Institute the best practices involved in keeping tax records including how long you should hold onto those past returns. So for example, if you filed your 2015 tax return on February 1, 2016, you should have kept the return and supporting documents until at least April 15, 2017. What tax records should I keep? You should keep every tax return and supporting forms. This includes W-2s, 1099s, expense tracking, mileage logs if you itemize and other documents. So why is keeping tax returns for three years important? Keeping tax returns for the three-year time period is tied to the IRS statute of limitations. Query: how long do i keep my tax return?
A: 
In most cases, you should plan on keeping tax returns along with any supporting documents for a period of at least three years following the date you filed or the due date of your tax return.