Your unique situation may require more documents that are listed below, but the following is a great place to get started. When in doubt, bring it!
Prior Year Tax Return Copies
If you are a new client, please bring copies of your last 3 years federal and state income tax returns.
Personal & Dependent Information
• Social Security or ITIN Numbers with date of births for anyone who’ll be on your tax return
• Childcare payment records with licensed provider’s ID number(s)
• Amount of any alimony payments with ex-spouse SSN
• Childcare payment records with licensed provider’s ID number(s)
• Amount of any alimony payments with ex-spouse SSN
Income Statements
• Bring any & all W-2, 1098, 1099 & schedule K-1 forms
• Purchase date & total investment for any stocks or property sold
• List of investment related expenses
• Education scholarships or fellowships
• Purchase date & total investment for any stocks or property sold
• List of investment related expenses
• Education scholarships or fellowships
Itemized Deductions
If you are planning on itemizing your deductions (Schedule A) please compose a spreadsheet/list summarizing them. Itemized deductions include:
• Mortgage interest, real estate & personal property tax records
• Casualty & theft losses
• Amounts of state & local income tax paid in prior years
• Records of cash donations to religious institutions, schools & other charities
• Records on non-cash charitable donations
• Unreimbursed job related expenses (travel, tools, cell phone charges, uniform cost/cleaning, luggage, services fees, trade journals, meals & entertainment)
• Job search/moving expenses
• Mortgage interest, real estate & personal property tax records
• Casualty & theft losses
• Amounts of state & local income tax paid in prior years
• Records of cash donations to religious institutions, schools & other charities
• Records on non-cash charitable donations
• Unreimbursed job related expenses (travel, tools, cell phone charges, uniform cost/cleaning, luggage, services fees, trade journals, meals & entertainment)
• Job search/moving expenses
Retirement & Education
• Records of any contributions to IRAs, HSAs & other retirement plans
• Records of tuition and other higher education expenses (books, computers, etc)
• Records of tuition and other higher education expenses (books, computers, etc)
Health Care
• Form 1095-A if you received health insurance from an Exchange (State or Federal)
• Marketplace exemption certificate if you applied for and received an exemption from the Exchange
• Marketplace exemption certificate if you applied for and received an exemption from the Exchange
Stocks & Mutual Funds
If you sold stocks or mutual funds, please provide a spreadsheet/list showing:
• The date(s) you purchased each item(s) sold
• Total purchase price of each item sold. Do not assume your cost information is provided on Form 1099.
• The date(s) you purchased each item(s) sold
• Total purchase price of each item sold. Do not assume your cost information is provided on Form 1099.
Self-Employment
Please prepare a simple 1 page income statement which summarizes your:
• Gross self employment income for the tax year and your applicable expenses categorized and summarized by the type of expense (i.e. advertising, equipment, supplies, etc)
• Gross self employment income for the tax year and your applicable expenses categorized and summarized by the type of expense (i.e. advertising, equipment, supplies, etc)
Rental Property
If you received income from rental property (Schedule E), please prepare a simple 1 page income statement showing:
• Gross rental income you received during the tax year
• Your applicable expenses categorized and summarized by the type of expense (i.e. advertising, mortgage interest, real estate taxes, repairs, maintenance, condo fees, etc).
• Rental start date and original cost base for all properties
• Gross rental income you received during the tax year
• Your applicable expenses categorized and summarized by the type of expense (i.e. advertising, mortgage interest, real estate taxes, repairs, maintenance, condo fees, etc).
• Rental start date and original cost base for all properties
Business Use of Home
If you used a portion of your home for business use, please provide:
• Square footage calculation of the area used for business
• The date you began using the space for business
• Original purchase price paid for the property
• Summary of your utility expenses (gas, electric, oil, condo fees, landscaping, snowplowing, maintenance, etc)
• Major home improvements and direct office expenses (repairs, business phone, etc).
• Square footage calculation of the area used for business
• The date you began using the space for business
• Original purchase price paid for the property
• Summary of your utility expenses (gas, electric, oil, condo fees, landscaping, snowplowing, maintenance, etc)
• Major home improvements and direct office expenses (repairs, business phone, etc).
Residential Energy Efficient Improvements
Please provide the cost of the following applicable items:
• High-efficiency heating & cooling systems, water heaters, windows, doors, insulation, qualified solar electric property, solar water heating property, fuel cell property, small wind energy property and geothermal heat pump property
• High-efficiency heating & cooling systems, water heaters, windows, doors, insulation, qualified solar electric property, solar water heating property, fuel cell property, small wind energy property and geothermal heat pump property
Foreign Nationals on a F-1 or J-1 Visas
Please bring your Visa and passport and summarize the following information:
• Your permanent address where you are a citizen
• Your F-1 / J-1 VISA number
• The actual dates entered / left the United States for corresponding tax year
• The number of days you were in the United States for the previous three tax years
• Your permanent address where you are a citizen
• Your F-1 / J-1 VISA number
• The actual dates entered / left the United States for corresponding tax year
• The number of days you were in the United States for the previous three tax years
Estimated Tax Payments
If you made any estimated tax payments this tax year, we will need to know the dates and amounts paid of all federal and state estimated tax payments.
Business Rents Paid
Please summarize the rent you paid for business purposes during the tax year and your landlord’s name and address.
Moving Expenses
If your move is employment related, please summarize your moving expenses. You can only deduct the cost to move your household goods, storage and the one time trip to make the final move to your new location.
Finally, please bring any other official tax documents you received not mentioned above. When in doubt, bring it!
It is better to over-prepare than under-prepare for your meeting.