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Tax Prep Checklist

Gather these before your appointment and your return goes faster, cleaner, and with nothing left on the table. Pull what fits your situation and skip what doesn't. Not sure if something counts? Bring it anyway and we'll sort it out.

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Personal info

Photo ID for you and your spouse
Social Security or ITIN numbers for everyone on the return, you, your spouse, and each dependent
Dates of birth for everyone on the return
Last year's tax return (federal and state)
Bank routing and account number for direct deposit or payment
An IRS or state letter if you received one, IP PIN included

Income

W-2 from every job you and your spouse held
1099-NEC or 1099-K for self-employed and gig income
1099-INT and 1099-DIV for interest and dividends
1099-B for stocks, crypto, and other sales
1099-R for retirement, pension, or IRA distributions
SSA-1099 for Social Security benefits
1099-G for unemployment or a state refund
W-2G or gambling and prize winnings
K-1 from a partnership, S-corp, estate, or trust
Rental income and expense records
Alimony received, for divorces finalized before 2019

Deductions & credits

1098 mortgage interest and property tax paid
Charitable donations, cash and non-cash, with receipts
Medical and dental expenses you paid out of pocket
State and local taxes paid
1098-T tuition and 1098-E student loan interest
Childcare costs, plus the provider's name, address, and tax ID
Records for the Child Tax Credit and dependent care
Retirement contributions, IRA, SEP, or solo 401(k)
HSA contributions and your 1099-SA if you took distributions
Energy-efficient home or clean vehicle purchases
Educator expenses if you teach K–12

Health coverage

1095-A if you bought coverage through the Marketplace
1095-B or 1095-C from an employer or insurer

Life changes this year

Got married, divorced, or widowed
Had or adopted a child, or added a dependent
Bought or sold a home
Started or closed a business
Moved to a different state
Paid or received estimated taxes during the year

Self-employed & small business

If you file a Schedule C, bring the numbers, not a shoebox. Clean records mean a lower bill and fewer questions.

Total income, 1099s plus anything paid to you directly
Business expenses by category, or your bookkeeping export
Home office square footage and total home size
Mileage log, business miles and total miles for the year
Vehicle expenses if you claim actual costs instead of mileage

Cost of equipment or assets you bought this year
Health insurance premiums you paid yourself
Retirement contributions, SEP or solo 401(k)
Estimated tax payments you made and the dates
Payroll records if you have employees or contractors

Books a mess or never set up? That's fixable. My bookkeeping service gets you clean records so tax time stops being a scramble.

Owner-operator truckers

This is my specialty. Truckers leave money on the table every year on deductions they didn't know to track. Bring these and we'll capture what's yours.

Settlement statements from your carrier
Fuel costs and IFTA records
Per diem days, your days away from home
Truck payment, lease, or purchase records
Repairs, maintenance, tires, and parts

Insurance, permits, licenses, and tolls
Scales, parking, and lumper fees
Cell phone, ELD, and other work tools
Work gear, gloves, and safety equipment
Estimated tax payments you made and the dates

Not sure a cost counts? Track it and ask. It's easier to drop a deduction than to recover one you never wrote down.

Ready to file?

Gather what fits, and if you're missing something, come anyway. Half of my job is helping you figure out what you actually need. Precision, strategy, and straight talk, start to finish.

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