The unromantic short answer is (was) basically the need to keep track of the king's stuff requiring inventing symbols to represent it for accounting purposes re trade, and so the development of writing. Evidence over 7,000 years old has recently been found in Egypt of exactly this happening...
In relation to the development/use/meaning of their hieroglyphic writing, however, the symbolic of the symbols also have a metaphysical meaning beyond the mundane of what they say literally. Missing this factor of understanding them (being unable to think in their "esoteric" concepts) will make (has made) for not realizing the essence of the profoundness of the ancient Egyptian mind. But this is a different subject and I digress...
to keep records of the information on the internet
Various companies keep the records various times. For the most part (for tax purposes) it is best to keep all records for 5 to 7 years after the date.
companies need to keep records of transactions, so that they can know well about their profit or loss percentages, also some companies have multiple share holders, so they need to keep records for keeping check and balance :)
7 years
Easy! How much money you make every month!
Unti you die?
It is required by the FASB and the government. It is your legal obligation.
Provided his estate went through probate properly in 2004 then you would not usually be expected to keep personal tax records much after that - however if the estate included a business then you may need to keep the records for that for 7 years.
to the best of my knowledge it is 7 years, but they can be scanned if done properly so you do not have old paper files of records
7 Years See Inland Revenue Website:
form_title=Medical Records Storage form_header=Keep the clutter away! Store your medical records in a safe and confidential place. How frequently do you need acess to these records? =_ How many records will need to be moved? =_ How long will you want to store these items? = {(),1 to 3 months,3 to 6 months,6 to 9 months,9 to 12 months,More than a year} What date will you need them moved by? =_
You do not need an SSN to search for records.