Tab settings not translating to pasted docs

[jbeau]

I am copying and pasting information between three different Word 10 docs. The problem is that one particular document does not keep the tab settings when I paste it, however when I copy it from that document to put it back in the first, it retranslates it correctly.
My preference is to have the tabs in all three documents remain at 5" and 7" with a hanging indent at 3". When I create text boxes, I experience the same problem.
Any suggestions?