“David started working in his teens. Surely, he has 40 credits (or 10 years) in the system? Yes, he does. But having gotten rid of his older tax returns, he can no longer prove it. David asked the IRS for copies of certain missing years, dating back to about 20 years ago. Not only did the IRS not have copies, but they didn’t even have electronic transcripts going that far back. What can David do? Not a thing. He accepted this philosophically, knowing he must work two more years to build up his benefits. How can you avoid this problem? It’s easy. Never, ever throw out a tax return.”
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/never-throw-away-your-tax-returns-2013-04-20
