Must-have
✅
Identity & Basics
Government ID (you + spouse if filing jointly)
SSNs/ITINs + birth dates for all dependents
Prior-year tax return (if available)
Bank account + routing number (direct deposit)
Income
💰
Income Documents
W-2s (jobs)
1099-NEC / 1099-K / 1099-MISC (contract, apps, side income)
1099-INT / 1099-DIV / 1099-B (interest, dividends, investments)
SSA-1099 (Social Security), 1099-R (retirement)
Deductions
🧾
Receipts & Statements
Mortgage interest (Form 1098) + property tax
Childcare expenses (provider info + totals paid)
Education (1098-T) + tuition/loan interest
Charitable contributions (if itemizing)
Heads up: If you had any major changes (new baby, new job, moved states, started a business),
scroll to “Life Events” below to see what to collect.
What to bring
All W-2s (multiple jobs included)
Health insurance forms (if provided)
1098 (mortgage interest) + property taxes
Student loan interest + education forms
Childcare totals + provider name/EIN or SSN
Nice-to-have
Charity receipts (itemizers)
Medical expense totals (rare, itemizers)
IRA contributions (traditional/Roth)
HSA contributions + distributions
Estimated tax payments (if any)
Self-Employed / 1099 / Side Income
If you drive, freelance, consult, sell online, or run gigs—this is you.
Income tracking
📊
Income / Sales
1099 forms (NEC/K/MISC) + any missing income records
Bank statements (business activity highlighted)
Sales reports (Stripe, PayPal, Square, Etsy, Amazon, etc.)
Cash income log (if applicable)
Expenses
🧠
Expenses / Deductions
Supplies, software subscriptions, business phone/internet
Advertising/marketing spend
Home office info (workspace size + eligible expenses)
Mileage log (or total business miles) + vehicle expenses
Contractor payments (who you paid + amounts)
Best practice: If you don’t have bookkeeping, send your bank statements and any sales reports.
We can guide categorization from there.
Business essentials
Entity type + EIN confirmation
Profit & Loss (P&L) + Balance Sheet (if available)
Business bank/credit card statements
Payroll summaries + W-2/W-3 (if you have employees)
1099s issued to contractors (if applicable)
Common add-ons
Owner contributions/distributions tracking
Equipment purchases + depreciation info
Vehicle usage + mileage logs
Business insurance + licenses
Sales tax filings (if applicable)
Family
👶
Marriage / Baby / Dependents
Marriage date (if newly married)
Dependent SSN + birth date
Childcare totals + provider info
Adoption expenses (if applicable)
Home
🏠
Bought / Sold a Home
Closing disclosures (buy/sell)
Form 1098 (mortgage interest)
Property tax totals
Home improvements (major upgrades)
Investments
📈
Stocks / Crypto / Retirement
1099-B (brokerage) + transactions summary
Crypto exchange statements (if applicable)
1099-R (retirement distributions)
IRA contribution totals
Credits
Child Tax Credit / Dependent credits
Child & Dependent Care credit
Education credits (when eligible)
EV credits (if applicable; requires purchase details)
Deductions
Mortgage interest + property taxes
Self-employed expenses (supplies, marketing, home office)
Retirement contributions (when eligible)
HSA contributions (when eligible)
Do
🔒
Recommended
Use the secure portal for documents
Enable multi-factor authentication on email + banking
Keep a folder for yearly tax items
Notify us quickly if you receive IRS letters
Avoid
⚠️
Common mistakes
Emailing sensitive documents as attachments
Ignoring notices or deadlines
Mixing personal + business expenses without notes
Guessing numbers instead of using statements
What if I’m missing a form? +
Upload what you have. We’ll identify what’s missing and send a clear request list.
How do I know which checklist applies to me? +
Start with “Must-have” items, then add the section that matches your income type (W-2, 1099, business).
Do I need to organize everything first? +
No. If you can label files, great—but send what you have. We’ll guide the rest.
Want us to confirm your checklist?
Book a consultation and we’ll tell you exactly what to upload for your situation.
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