Checklist

Tax Preparation Checklist*

• Personal Information
  • Social Security numbers for you, your spouse, and any dependents 
  • Dates of birth for you, your spouse, and any dependents
  • Income of any dependents
• Income for the tax year
  • Wages, tips, and other compensation from employment
    • W-2 forms
    • Tips and household employee wages not reported on W-2 forms
  • Retirement income
    • 1099-R forms for distributions from retirement plans (like IRAs), pensions, and annuities
    • SSA-1099 and RRB-1099 forms for Social Security and Railroad Retirement Board benefits
  • Self-employment income (Schedule C)
    • 1099-NEC forms for non-employee compensation
    • 1099-K forms from a payment processor or online marketplace
    • Sales records
    • Profit and loss statements
    • Expense receipts and records, including for the business use of your home or vehicle,   and cost of goods sold
  • Rental income
    • 1099-MISC forms showing rent payments received 
    • Rents received but not reported on 1099-MISC forms 
    • Number of days property is rented
    • Receipts and other records for expenses
    • Depreciation schedules
  • Real estate sales income
    • 1099-S forms for proceeds from sale of real estate 
    • Escrow closing statements
    • Basis information for property sold
  • Farm income (Schedule F)
    • 1099-G forms for government payments
    • 1099-PATR forms for distributions from cooperatives
    • 1099-MISC forms for pasture rental income, crop insurance proceeds, or other miscellaneous income
  • Other common forms of income
    • Alimony received for divorce finalized before 2019 (records of alimony payments) 
    • Business income from S corporations, partnerships, and LLCs (Schedule K-1 forms) 
    • Gambling winnings (W-2G forms)
    • Prizes or awards (records showing amount or value)
    • Refund of state or local income tax (1099-G forms)
    • Scholarships in certain cases (records showing scholarship’s purpose and use) 
    • Stock options (dates, stock value, and other related information) 
    • Unemployment compensation (1099-G forms)
• Tax deductions
  • Alimony deduction (only if divorce finalized before 2019)
    • Amount of alimony paid 
    • Ex-spouse’s Social Security number
  • Charitable gifts deduction
    • Receipts, bank or credit card statement, or other records for cash donations
    • For gifts of $250 or more, a written acknowledgment from donee
    • 1098-C forms for contributions of motor vehicles, boats, and airplanes
    • Appraisals for donated property over $5,000 ($500 for clothing and household items) 
    • Mileage for use of your motor vehicle for volunteer work
  • Medical and dental expense deduction
    • Receipts and other records for unreimbursed medical or dental expenses
    • Out-of-pocket health and dental insurance premiums, including for Medicare and   long-term care insurance
    • Mileage for use of your motor vehicle for medical reasons 
    • Lodging expenses while traveling for medical care
  • Mortgage interest and points deduction
    • 1098 forms
    • Home mortgage interest or points not reported on 1098 forms
  • State and local taxes (SALT) deduction
    • Estimated state and local income tax payments
    • Sales tax payment records if you’re deducting sales taxes instead of income taxes 
    • Real estate tax payment records, including escrow closing statements
    • Personal property tax payment records, including for vehicle license fees
  • Student loan interest deduction
    • 1098-E forms or loan statements if 1098-E form not received
    • Loan origination fee or capitalized interest records (for loans made before September 1, 2004)
  • Other common tax deductions
    • Archer medical spending account (MSA) deduction (5498-SA forms)
    • Disaster/casualty and theft loss deduction (records showing amount of loss, basis and value of damaged or stolen property, insurance reimbursements)
    • Gambling losses (receipts, raffle tickets, and other gambling records)
    • Health savings account (HSA) deduction (5498-SA forms)
    • Investment interest expense deduction (records for loans to buy investment property)
    • Moving expense deduction for military personnel (records showing deductible moving expenses) 
    • Self-employed health insurance deduction (premium payment records, Form 1095-A)
• Tax credits
  • Adoption credit
    • Receipts for qualified adoption expenses, including for legal, medical, and transportation costs 
    • Employer reimbursements of adoption expenses (if any)
  • Child and dependent care credit
    • Amount paid for care
    • Care provider’s name, address, and taxpayer identification number
  • Clean vehicle credit (for purchase of electric, plug-in hybrid electric, or fuel cell vehicle)
    • Time-of-sale report from dealer (also called a “seller report”)
    • MSRP (manufacturer's suggested retail price), if you buy a new vehicle
  • Education tax credits (American Opportunity and Lifetime Learning Credits)
    • 1098-T forms
    • Records for qualified educational expenses not included on 1098-T forms
  • Home Energy Credits (Energy-Efficient Home Improvement and Residential Clean Energy Credits)
    • Receipts and records for qualified energy-saving upgrades and the installation of qualified clean energy systems in your home
    • Kilowatt capacity of fuel cell systems (if applicable)
  • Premium tax credit
    • 1095-A forms
  • Retirement savings contributions credit (Saver's Credit)
    • Amounts contributed to eligible retirement accounts and ABLE accounts
  • Taxes you’ve paid
    • Estimated or other tax payments for the tax year (including tax paid with extension) 
    • Prior-year refunds applied to the current tax year
  • Other information
    • Bank account and routing numbers for direct deposit or tax payments
    • Foreign bank account information (if a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts is required) 
    • Last year’s tax return for general reference and e-filing
    • Driver’s license for e-filing (optional for additional security)

*Before taking any action, you should always contact me and we will review your particular situation for advice on your taxes