What to bring to your tax appointment

Tax Preparation Checklist

Personal Information

  • Your social security number. Amount of any alimony paid and ex-spouse's social security number
  • Your Tax Returns for last 3 years. Your Tax Professional can check them for accuracy

Other people who may belong on your return

  • Dates of birth and social security numbers
  • Childcare records (including the provider's address and EIN #)
  • If applicable Approximate Income of other adults in your home (not spouse, if you're filing jointly)
  • Form 8332, copies of your divorce decree, or other documents showing that your ex-spouse is releasing their right to claim a child to you

Education Payments

  • Bills from the educational Institution or anything else that itemizes what you paid or received loans for versus what was covered by scholarship Or other financial aid
  • Forms 1098-T and 1098-E, If you received them
  • Scholarships and fellowships

Employee Information

  • Forms W-2

Self-Employment Information

  • Forms 1099-MISC, Schedules K-l, 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

    Vehicle Information

    • Total miles driven for the year (or beginning/ending odometer readings)
    • Total business miles driven for the year (other than commuting)
    • Amount of parking and tolls paid
    • If you want to claim actual expenses, receipts or totals for gas, oil, car washes, licenses, personal property tax, lease or interest expense, etc.

Rental Income

  • Records of income and expenses
  • Rental asset Information (cost, date placed in service, etc.) for depreciation

Retirement Income

  • Pension/IRA/annuity income (1099-R)
  • Social security/RRB income (1099-SSA, RRB-I099)

Savings and Investments

  • 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

Other Income

  • Unemployment, state tax refund (l099-G)
  • Gambling income (W-2G or records showing Income, as well as expense records
  • Amount of any alimony received and ex-spouse's name
  • Health care reimbursements (1099-SA or 1099-LTC)
  • Jury duty records
  • Hobby income and expenses
  • Prizes and awards
  • Other 1099

Itemizing Deductions

  • Forms 1098 or other mortgage statements
  • Amount of state/local income tax paid (other than wage withholding), or amount of state and local sales tax paid
  • Real estate and personal property tax records
  • HUD statement showing dosing date of home purchase
  • Cash amounts donated to houses of worship, schools, other charitable organizations
  • Records of non-cash charitable donations
  • Amounts paid for healthcare insurance and to doctors, dentists, hospitals
  • Amounts of miles driven for charitable or medical purposes
  • Expenses related to your investments
  • Amount paid for preparation on your previous year tax return
  • Employment-related expenses (dues, publications, tools, uniform cost and cleaning, travel)
  • Job-hunting expenses

IRA Information

  • Amount contributed this year (and previous, if applicable)
  • Traditional IRA basis
  • Value of IRAs on Dec 31 of this year