Which phase of the record life cycle involves deciding retention periods and disposal actions?

• A. creation
• B. disposition
• C. maintenance
• D. retrieval

Answer: (B)

Dispostion is the phase where retention periods are set and disposal actions are carried out. In this stage, organizations apply retention schedules to each record to determine how long it should be kept based on business value, legal requirements, and regulatory needs. When a record reaches the end of its retention period, the disposition action is executed—such as secure destruction, transfer to an archival repository for long-term preservation, or another approved method. This phase ensures that records are retained only as long as needed and disposed of properly, balancing compliance, risk, and value.

Creation focuses on producing records and capturing essential metadata; maintenance covers storing, protecting, and keeping records accessible; retrieval is about locating and accessing records when needed.