Dumpster-diving identity thieves aren't necessarily in your backyard sifting through your garbage can for your W-2. A thief could be worker at the recycling plant or the janitor at your office, Terry says. So, destroy your documents or keep them locked up in a safe.
Ms. Wallace says it鈥檚 a good idea to shred documents, as long as it doesn鈥檛 give people a false sense of security.
鈥淧rotecting physical documents, paper documents is important, but so is electronic protection,鈥� Wallace says.
And if you鈥檙e filing a paper return?
鈥淲alk it yourself to the post office, get it certified mail, and make sure that you hand it to the clerk, Terry says.
