What documents do I need to file my taxes?
In addition to proof of your identity, and the identities of your family members, documents that may be important to bring to your appointment to prepare your taxes can include:
- Social Security documents
- Income statements such as W-2s and MISC-1099s
- Tax forms that report other types of income, such as Schedule K-1 for trusts, partnership and S corporations
- Tax deduction records
- Expense receipts
Social Security Details
Some of the most important things we will need to file your tax return are the full names and Social Security numbers, or tax identification numbers, of you, your spouse, and your dependents.
One good way to be sure your information is correct on your tax return is to:
- The Social Security cards for all people included on your tax return.
- Another form of identification to prove that Social Security information is yours. Any government-issued ID that includes a photograph will work, such as a driver’s license, passport, or state identification card.
Income Statements
Even though your employer should report your income directly to the IRS, we will also need the information on your W-2 form(s) to complete your tax forms.
- If you hold more than one job, you’ll need to provide W-2s from each employer.
- If your employer makes a mistake on your W-2 and issues you a form W-2c, bring the corrected W-2c, as well.
Other types of income:
If you’re self-employed or you receive income from other sources, you’ll need to report that information on your tax return. If you’ve received any of the following IRS forms in the mail, please make sure to bring them.
- Form 1099 and Form 1099-MISC for self-employment income
- Form 1099-A for foreclosure of a home
- Form 1099-B for proceeds from broker transactions Form 1099-C for cancellation of debt
- Form 1099-DIV for dividends and distributions
- Form 1099-G for unemployment income or a state tax refund
- Form 1099-INT or Form 1099-OID for interest income
- Form 1099-K for business or rental income processed by third-party networks
- Form 1099-LTC for Long Term Care reimbursements
- Form 1099-PATR for patronage dividends
- Form 1099-Q for payments from qualified education programs
- Form 1099-QA for distributions from an ABLE account
- Form 1099-S proceeds from the sales of property
- Form 1099-SA for Health Savings Account and Medical Savings Account distributions
- Form SSA-1099 for Social Security benefits
- Form RRB-1099 for railroad retirement benefits
Tax Deduction Documents
Tax deductions can reduce your taxable income and, ultimately, your tax bill. Here are some forms you’ll need to document your major deductions:
- Form 1098, your Mortgage Interest Statement, which comes from the company that services your mortgage loan
- Form 1098-C for the donation of an automobile, boat or aircraft worth more than $500 to a tax-exempt organization
- Form 1098-E for interest you paid on a student loan during the preceding year
- Form 1098-T, the Tuition Statement, documenting how much you paid in tuition for post-secondary education
- Form 1040ES copies, for a record of estimated tax payments made
Receipts for Expenses
If you’d like to deduct expenses from your personal or business income taxes, bring your records of the amount for those expenses. Tax-deductible personal expenses include:
- Medical bills,
- Charitable contributions,
- IRA contributions, and
- Certain education expenses.
If you’re self-employed, many business expenses are also tax deductible. To document both personal and business expenses, make sure you have all your receipts, invoices, medical bills, and mileage logs.
If this is your first appointment here, it will be good if you can bring a copy of your latest tax return on hand. Your previous tax return can be a guide to your typical income and deductions as well as point out any major changes that may have occurred in the last year and any possible discrepancies between your returns.