Our Personal Tax Document Checklist

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Documents You'll Need

  • Driver's License
  • Social Security Card
  • Routing & account numbers for direct deposit
  • Copies of prior year returns (for new clients)
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Dependents

  • Dates of birth & social security numbers or other tax ID numbers
  • Childcare records (including the provider's tax ID number) if applicable
  • Form 8332 when the child's custodial parent is releasing their right to claim a child to the noncustodial parent (if applicable)

Income

Employed

  • Forms W-2

Unemployed

  • Unemployment (1099-G)

Self-Employed

  • Forms 1099-NEC and 1099-K
  • Income records to verify amounts not reported on 1099s
  • Records of all expenses – check registers or credit card statements, and receipts
  • Business-use asset information (cost, date placed in service, etc.) for depreciation
  • Home office information, if applicable
  • Record of estimated tax payments made (Form 1040ES)

Rental Income

  • Records of income and expenses
  • Rental asset information (cost, date placed in service, etc.) for depreciation
  • Record of estimated tax payments made (Form 1040ES)

Retirement Income

  • Pension/IRA/annuity income (1099-R)
  • Traditional IRA basis (prior-year Forms 8606 showing amounts already taxed)
  • Social Security/RRB income (SSA-1099, RRB-1099)

Savings & Investments or Dividends

  • Interest, dividend income (1099-INT, 1099-OID, 1099-DIV)
  • Income from sales of stock or other property (1099-B, 1099-S)
  • Dates of acquisition and records of your cost or other basis in property you sold (if basis is not reported on 1099-B)
  • Expenses related to your investments
  • Record of estimated tax payments made (Form 1040ES)

Other Income & Losses

  • State refunds (Form 1099-G)
  • Income from K-1s either as investment or as active owner
  • Gambling income (W-2G or records showing income, as well as expense records)
  • Jury duty records
  • Hobby income and expenses
  • Prizes and awards
  • Trusts
  • Royalties (1099-MISC)
  • Any other 1099s received
  • Record of alimony paid/received with ex-spouse’s name and SSN
  • Health Savings Account and long-term care reimbursements (1099-SA or 1099-LTC) Deductions

Home Ownership

  • Form 1098 or other mortgage interest statements
  • Real estate and personal property tax records

Charitable Donations

  • Cash amounts donated to religious organizations, schools, and other charitable organizations
  • Records of non-cash charitable donations
  • Amounts of miles driven for charitable purposes

Medical Expenses

  • Amounts paid for healthcare insurance and to doctors, dentists, and hospitals
  • Miles driven for medical purposes
  • Travel expenses for medical, including hotels, planes, tolls, parking, etc

Health Insurance

  • Form 1095-A if you have health insurance through a State Marketplace (Exchange)

Childcare Expenses

  • Daycare pays for a child under age 13 so the taxpayer (and spouse) can work
  • Wages paid to a babysitter

Educational Expenses

  • Forms 1098-T from educational institutions
  • Receipts for qualified educational expenses
  • Records of scholarships or fellowships
  • Form 1098-E for student loan interest

State & Local Taxes or Sales Tax

  • Amount of state/local income tax paid (other than wage withholding), or amount of state and local sales tax paid
  • An invoice showing the amount of vehicle sales tax paid
  • Amount of real estate taxes paid
  • Amount of personal property taxes paid

Retirement & Other Savings

  • Form 5498-SA showing HSA contributions
  • Form 5498 showing IRA contributions
  • All other 5498 series forms (5498-QA, 5498-ESA)

Federally Declared Disaster

  • City/county you lived/worked/had property in
  • Records to support property losses (appraisal, clean-up costs, etc.)
  • Records of rebuilding/repair costs
  • Insurance reimbursements/claims to be paid
  • FEMA assistance information