TO KEEP OR NOT TO KEEP?

The other day, there was a fire near the office, which got me thinking: if you had limited space in your fireproof safe, which property documents should you keep?

Ideally, you’d keep everything—including receipts for procuring certified copies—but that’s not always practical. (Coming from someone with hoarder tendencies, I get it.)

So, I follow two simple criteria when deciding whether to keep a document:

1.⁠ ⁠How difficult is it to replace if lost?

2.⁠ ⁠How often has someone asked for it after the title transfer?

Let’s break it down:

Title – No brainer: Keep it. The title is the most important document for property ownership. Losing it means going through a tedious reconstitution process that could take more than a year.

Deed of Absolute Sale (DOAS) – Keep. I’ve seen a case where a Philippine court ruled that a title was fraudulent. The original DOAS—along with the IDs of the signatories and any Special Power of Attorney (SPA), if applicable—will help defend your ownership over the property.

While you can request a certified copy (CC) from the Registry of Deeds (RD), having your own copy is best—just in case the RD's records are compromised.

BIR Certificate Authorizing Registration (CAR) – Keep. Under BIR Commissioner Henares, this was required for title transfers. That changed under Commissioner Dulay, but policies can shift with new administrations. Like the DOAS, you can get a CC from the RD, but it's safest to keep the original.

Tax Declaration – Nice to have, but unnecessary. Certified copies are easy to obtain and are what’s required for title transfers, not the owner’s copy.

Deposit Slips for BIR Tax Payments – Keep. I’ve encountered cases where a title transfer was completed, yet years later, the BIR still asked for proof of tax payment. While the CAR includes tax details, the BIR can reassess and collect taxes long after the transfer is done.

For everything else, scanned copies should suffice.

Disclaimer: This is just my personal opinion based on experience. I will not be responsible for any consequences if you choose to follow my advice. Always consult with relevant authorities for official guidance.