Identification and basics
Photo ID. Social Security card (or ITIN) for you, spouse, and dependents. Prior year tax return if we're new to you. Direct deposit bank info for refund. The prior-year return matters more than people expect: it shows carryovers, depreciation schedules, and elections that have to continue correctly onto this year's filing.
Income documents
Everything that reports income for the year:
- W-2s from every employer
- 1099-NEC, 1099-MISC, 1099-K for self-employment
- 1099-INT, 1099-DIV, 1099-B for investment income
- 1099-R for retirement distributions
- SSA-1099 for Social Security
- K-1s from partnerships and S-corps
- 1099-G for unemployment or state refunds
- Rental income records (Schedule E)
Deduction documentation
Mortgage interest statement (1098). Real estate taxes paid. Charitable contribution receipts. Medical expenses if itemizing. Self-employment expenses if filing Schedule C. 1095-A if you had Marketplace health coverage. Childcare provider name, address, and tax ID if you paid for care. Student loan interest (1098-E) and tuition statements (1098-T) round out the common set.
Business owners: the extra list
If you run a business or side operation, add:
- Profit and loss summary or your bookkeeping file
- Payroll reports if you have employees
- Receipts or totals for major equipment and asset purchases
- Copies of any 1099s you issued to contractors
- Home office square footage and total home square footage
- Business mileage total, with the log to back it up
Investors and landlords: the extra list
Consolidated brokerage 1099s (these often arrive mid-February and get corrected afterward), crypto exchange reports or gain/loss summaries, rental income and expense totals per property, and closing statements for any property bought, sold, or refinanced during the year. Closing statements are the one people forget, and they drive basis, points, and prorated tax numbers we cannot get anywhere else.
Life event documentation
Marriage, divorce, new dependent, or home purchase documentation if applicable. A new baby needs a Social Security number before filing. A divorce decree affects filing status, dependents, and who claims what. Moving states mid-year adds a part-year state return, so dates and old-state income splits help.
Estimated payments and IRS letters
If you made quarterly estimated payments during the year, bring the dates and amounts; missing one on the return is a common cause of wrong balances due. Bring any IRS or state notice you received during the year, even if it looked resolved, and your Identity Protection PIN if the IRS issued you one, because e-filing is rejected without it.
Sending documents securely
Our secure portal is the right channel for anything with a Social Security number on it; regular email is not. Photos of documents work fine when every corner and number is legible. Drop-offs at the office during business hours work too, and originals go back to you after scanning.
Common questions
- What if I don't have everything?
- Come in with what you have. We'll generate a list of what's missing and help you track the rest down.
- How far ahead should I book during tax season?
- Two to three weeks during February and March. April gets crowded, and complex returns started late may need an extension.
- My brokerage corrects its 1099 every year. Should I wait for the corrected one?
- Usually yes. Corrected consolidated 1099s commonly land in late February or March, and filing from the first version risks an amendment. We can prepare everything else while we wait.
- Do you need every receipt, or just totals?
- Organized totals by category are enough to prepare the return. Keep the receipts in your own records; they are what backs the totals up if a number is ever questioned.
More guides
The Complete Guide to Self-Employment Taxes
Self-employment tax is 15.3%. Quarterly estimates, Schedule C, Schedule SE, the deduction for half of SE tax, and SEP-IRA/Solo-401(k) planning in one guide.
S-Corp Reasonable Salary
The IRS audits S-corps that pay owners too little. How to set a defensible reasonable salary using IRS factors, comparable-salary data, and the 60/40 rule.
What to Expect in an IRS Audit
Correspondence, office, and field audits explained. Timelines, documents requested, appeal rights, possible outcomes, and when to bring in representation.
Establishing Florida Residency
Florida has no state income tax. How to establish residency: the domicile checklist, severing old-state ties, and how former states audit departing residents.