At least you know what documents are retained, and in what form, and for how long, and you can plan around that. With all these free services you can only assume the worst.
Don't ask around these questions because nobody knows you have them.
If only you get rid of the printouts you're safe because nobody can prove anything so basically you're free to do what you feel is right. After the printouts are gone and you do happen to remember what they said, there's absolutely no way to connect that information to you.
The owner of the papers might want them back though, so consider that too, please. You can return them in an anonymous envelope if you want your identity to not be disclosed.
Question about returning documents: OP stated these are printouts, so what is the point of returning them if the original owner can just print them out again? Wouldn't returning the documents actually put that person in trouble, because their superior will know this information was misplaced - or is it the point to notify superiors?
You just need one or two of those methods, not all. I personally would keep one copy in a secured physical location and the other with my lawyer in your situation.
Just a side note to this and the other replies: You can also keep the original documents and add scans to paperless for indexing, etc. Since I switched to paperless I keep my originals in binders just ordered by the paperless id, so I can retrieve the original when required.
Property deeds or rental agreements for real estate, vehicles, any other major physical investments (own a boat? a tractor?)
Latest statements from bank accounts, credit cards, etc (digital copies will suffice - this is more about making sure you have account numbers, etc.)
Checkbooks
Paperwork from any corporate entities you may own or agreements such as stock option plans (digital may suffice here as well)
A digital copy (photos on phone if necessary) of your last year's tax documents
Photos of your last few pay stubs (if they're not already digital)
Any financial vehicles whose ownership depends on physical documents, such as bearer bonds
If you have documents relating to care of relatives (guardianship, power of attorney, DNR), bring those
If you have a will, make sure you have a copy (digital or otherwise).
Any other licensing documentation you might expect to want to refer to without having to ask the issuing body for a replacement (firearms licenses, medical licenses, marriage licenses, etc.)
Any documents relating to medical history or prescriptions
Contact info for everyone you know (this may already be digital, but some people do still keep Rolodexes or little black books)
Keys to any and all the things (shed, office, storage unit, safety deposit box, whatever)
You'll likely want to bring with you any laptops and external hard drives you own. If you're somewhat electronics savvy and have a desktop computer, consider extracting its drive too and taking that with you.
And of course, it's the things with sentimental value that are hardest to replace. You can always buy a new stereo system or replace a pair of jeans you left behind (even if you have to wear the jeans you did take until they fall apart and play music over a $20 pair of computer speakers while you save up to replace that tuner). You can never replace your photographs, your favorite stuffed animal from childhood, your grandmother's jewelry.
It depends on what information the document(s) contain and how OP uses that information, but yes, the person who lost them could certainly lose "something". When that Apple employee misplaced an iPhone prototype a few years ago, it wasn't the monetary value of the prototype itself that Apple was worried about; it was the market advantage they'd lose if their competitors discovered what they'd been working on.
This is a good point, and one that I hadn't considered. However, like you said, most of my docs probably also exist in the databases of companies and the government. Ultimately, it's not something I worry about that much; I'm probably more concerned with losing access to my documents than someone else gaining access to them.
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