combined fastening removal and retrieval device 10 may be disposed on only the top 21 or the bottom paper 22 of the stack of papers 20 0033 fig6 shows the configuration of a stapled stack of papers 20 with the combined fastening removal and retrieval device 10 the staple 30 has a front member 34 that is disposed above the front tab end 14 and adjacent to the outer surface 12 of the combined fastening removal and retrieval device 10 the legs 32 of the staple 30 penetrate the front tab end 14 the stack of papers 20 and the rear tab end 13 the legs 32 are bent toward the front member 34 and are adjacent to the outer surface of the rear tab end 13 in a preferred embodiment of the invention the width of the combined fastening removal and retrieval device 10 is sufficiently large so that both legs 32 of the staple penetrate through the combined fastening removal and retrieval device 10 although this is not a limitation of the present invention as the combined fastening removal and retrieval device may include only a top or front tab end 14 removal of the staple 30 is shown in fig7 and 8 the user preferably first grasps the rear tab end 13 and pulls the rear tab end 13 away from the stack of papers 20 fig7 shows the configuration after the user has pulled the rear tab end 13 away from the stack of papers 20.