Avoiding loss of Contacts and Folders when removing defunct email account from Live Mail

I learned how to use Storage Folders to avoid folder loss when deleting an unneeded mail account. I didn't lose any folders that were placed into Storage when I did the account removal.  On another Win 7 computer I want to remove another defunct mail account and want to avoid loss of any Contacts that may be associated with the account. Is there any danger of losing Contacts when removing that defunct account? I believe I would lose any folders or emails associated with that account if I don't place them into Storage before removing the account. Are Contacts somehow linked to mail accounts and will they disappear when removed? If so, how do I avoid this happening?