How Long Should a Person's Social Security & Medicare Records Be Kept After They Are Deceased?

Because Medicare is considered tax deductible, and Social Security checks are considered income, they are all part of tax records and could be requested for up to six years. If the IRS has any questions about reported income, it would be handy to keep these records on hand.

You can request Social Security or Medicare records from the Social Security administration. Fees vary depending on if you can provide the person's Social Security number or not. If you find yourself needing records that you don't have on hand, you can easily obtain them.

Since Medicare and Social Security records are so important and do not take up much space, it's best to stay on the safe side and hold onto them for at least six years.