Calculate a scheduled retention deadline for patent maintenance records from a user-selected trigger date and retention period. You can use an exact anniversary or move the result to the end of the calculated year, then add an optional administrative buffer. The tool also shows the base deadline, final scheduled date, and days remaining as of a chosen reference date. It is a planning aid, not a determination of which retention rule applies.
The day count uses calendar days. The end-of-year convention sets the base deadline to December 31 of the calculated anniversary year.
The final scheduled date is the modeled earliest disposition date under the entered rule. Days remaining are measured from the reference date; a passed date does not authorize destruction if a hold or other superseding requirement applies.
Retention requirements vary by jurisdiction, record class, agreement, and matter status. Verify the applicable schedule and suspend disposition whenever a valid hold or preservation duty applies.
A January 15, 2026 trigger plus 10 years produces a base anniversary of January 15, 2036. With the exact-anniversary rule and a 30-day buffer, the final scheduled date is February 14, 2036.
Use the event date specified by the policy or applicable authority, such as closure, expiration, final payment, or another documented trigger. Do not assume the creation date is always correct.
It moves the calculated anniversary deadline to December 31 of that same year, which some record schedules use for administrative consistency.
Yes. Records subject to a legal hold, investigation, audit, or preservation notice should not be destroyed merely because the scheduled date has passed.
Yes. Browser date arithmetic rolls a February 29 anniversary to the last valid day of February when the target year is not a leap year.
No. It is a scheduling estimate based on user-entered rules. Confirm governing law, contract terms, record class, and current policy before acting.
| Setting | Effect | Use only when |
|---|---|---|
| Exact anniversary | Preserves month and day | The schedule is anniversary-based |
| End of calculated year | Moves base date to December 31 | The approved schedule specifies year-end |
| Administrative buffer | Adds calendar days | The buffer is documented and authorized |
| Reference date | Changes status only | You need an as-of comparison |