Since January 2025, a legal amendment has made it possible to reduce the tax-relevant retention period for accounting documents from ten to eight years. This is more than just a relief for companies - it is a welcome opportunity to streamline their data management, systematically delete old records and revise processes for data deletion. The new regulation applies to all documents whose deadline has not yet expired. However, other document types - such as business letters or annual financial statements - remain unaffected by this change, which requires a differentiated review.
In everyday digital working life, fewer archiving obligations not only means savings in storage resources, but also fewer legal risks. This is because keeping outdated data harbours data protection pitfalls - especially in light of the GDPR, which requires a clear purpose limitation and time limit for personal information. Those who do not establish stringent deletion routines risk fines and a loss of trust.
Data protection authorities have already announced that they will be paying more attention to systematic erasure concepts this year. Companies should therefore not only adapt their IT solutions, but also document comprehensible procedures - including training for employees to increase sensitivity when handling information.
The new legal regulation is ultimately more than just a formal change: it opens up the opportunity to rethink processes, increase efficiency and improve your organisation's position in terms of data protection - with comparatively little effort if action is taken at an early stage.
Source: www.dr-datenschutz.de