The single biggest cause of a slow return is a missing document. Not a complicated situation, not an unusual deduction. Just one form that nobody thought to look for. Here is what to gather before your first appointment.
Everyone needs these
- Photo identification.
- Social Security numbers, or ITINs, for everyone who appears on the return.
- Last year’s return, especially if someone else prepared it.
- Bank account and routing numbers, if you want a refund by direct deposit.
Income, in whatever form it arrived
- W-2 forms from every employer you had during the year, including jobs you left.
- 1099 forms of every kind: contract work, interest, dividends, retirement distributions, government payments.
- K-1 forms if you hold an interest in a partnership, an S-corp, or a trust.
- Records of income that never generated a form at all. Cash work counts, and so does income from an app that did not meet a reporting threshold.
That last point matters more than people expect. Income being unreported by the payer does not make it untaxable, and it is the category most likely to surface later as a notice.
Whatever supports a deduction or a credit
- Mortgage interest and property tax statements.
- Student loan interest and tuition statements.
- Childcare costs, with the provider’s tax identification number.
- Charitable donations, with receipts for the larger ones.
- Medical expenses, if they were substantial relative to your income.
- Retirement contributions made outside your workplace plan.
If you are self-employed, add these
- A summary of business income and expenses for the year.
- Mileage records, with dates and purposes, not just a total.
- Home office measurements, if you claim one.
- Records of any estimated tax payments you already made.
- Statements for business accounts and cards.
A note on records you cannot find
Missing a form is not a reason to delay. Most income documents can be retrieved, either from the payer or from your IRS account transcript. Tell your preparer what you think is missing rather than filing without it and amending later.
How we handle it
After your free consultation we send a checklist built around your actual situation, so you are not hunting for forms that do not apply to you. Documents come to us through a secure portal, not email attachments.
Sources
- IRS, Get Your Tax Record: irs.gov, get transcript
- IRS, Recordkeeping: irs.gov, recordkeeping