People now get one to two hours less sleep each night, on average, compared to 60 years ago. A primary reason for this is the proliferation of electronics, which also allows us to work (and play) later than ever before.
The Internal Revenue Service requires that individuals be able to produce records proving any income, deductions or credit claimed for at least three years from the date of a return, the statute of limitations for how long the I.R.S. has to assess additional tax if all income was reported correctly.
First, a little background on IRS rules, which informed some of our charts: 1  The IRS says you should keep tax returns and the paperwork supporting them for at least three years after you file the return â the amount of time the IRS has to audit you. 2  Check with your state about state income tax, though. Some make you keep tax records a really long time: In Ohio, itâs 10 years. The IRS can also ask for records up to six years after a filing if they suspect someone failed to report 25% or more of his gross income. And the agency never closes the door on an audit if it suspects fraud.