Tax Preparation Checklist

Whether you see a tax professional or prepare your taxes on your own, we are here for you when you are ready to file.

Personal Information

•  Your social security number or tax ID number
•  Your spouse's full name and social security number or tax ID number
  
  

Dependent(s) Information

•  Dates of birth and social security numbers or tax ID numbers
•  Childcare records (including the provider's tax ID number) if applicable
• Income of other adults in your home
  

• Form 8332 showing that the child’s custodial parent is releasing their right to claim a child to you, the noncustodial parent (if applicable)
  
  

Sources Of Income

Employed

•  Forms W-2
  
  

Unemployed

•  Unemployment, state tax refund (1099-G)
  
  

Self-Employed

•  Forms 1099-MISC, Schedules K-1, 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
•  Office in home 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 (i.e. amounts you contributed to the IRA that were already taxed)
•  Social security/RRB income (1099-SSA, 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 bases in the property you sold (if the basis is not reported on 1099-B)
•  Health Savings Account and long-term care reimbursements (1099-SA or 1099-LTC)
•  Expenses related to your investments
•  Record of estimated tax payments made (Form 1040ES)
  
  

Other Income & Losses

•  Gambling income (W-2G or records showing income, as well as expense records)
•  Jury duty records
•  Hobby income and expenses
•  Prizes and awards
•  Trusts
•  Royalty Income 1099 Misc.
•  Any other 1099s received
•  Record of alimony paid/received with Ex-spouse’s name and SSN
  
  

Types Of Deductions

Home Ownership

•  Forms 1098 or other mortgage interest statements
•  Real estate and personal property tax records
•  Receipts for energy-saving home improvements
•  All other 1098 series forms
  
  

Charitable Donations

•  Cash amounts donated to houses of worship, schools, other charitable organizations
•  Records of non-cash charitable donations
•  Amounts of miles driven for charitable or medical purposes
  
  

Medical Expenses

•  Amounts paid for healthcare insurance and to doctors, dentists, hospitals
  
  

Health Insurance

•  Form 1095-A if you enrolled in an insurance plan through the Marketplace (Exchange)
•  Form 1095-B and/or 1095-C if you had insurance coverage through any other source (i.e . an employer, insurance company, government health plan such as Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, TRICARE, VA, etc.)
•  Marketplace exemption certificate (ECN) if you applied for and received an exemption from the Marketplace (Exchange)
  
  

Childcare Expenses

•  Fees are paid to a licensed daycare center or family daycare for the care of an infant or preschooler.
•  Wages paid to a babysitter.
• Don't include expenses paid through a flexible spending account at work.
  
  

Educational Expenses

•  Forms 1098-T from educational institutions
•  Receipts that itemize qualified educational expenses
•  Records of any scholarships or fellowships you received
•  Form1098-E if you paid student loan interest
  
  

Job Expenses & Tax Prep Fees

•  Employment-related vehicle expenses (tolls, mileage, gas, maintenance, license, property tax, interest expense, parking)
•  Receipts for classroom expenses (for educators in grades K-12)
•  Employment-related expenses (dues, publications, tools, uniform cost and cleaning, travel)
•  Job-hunting expenses
•  Record of moving expenses not reimbursed by the employer
•  Amount paid for preparation of last year’s tax return
  
  

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
  
  

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
•  Check the FEMA site to see if my county has been declared a federal disaster area