Tax preparation goes one of two ways. Either the client sends a clean, complete package up front and the engagement is finished in a week — or the documents arrive in pieces over six weeks, each new fragment triggering another email exchange and another "hold on, I think I have one more thing."
The single biggest predictor of which version you get is the quality of the initial document drop. Here's the checklist we send every client at the start of the year. Use it.
For everyone (individual returns)
- Last year's return if you're new to us — at least the last two years if available
- Driver's license for both spouses (states require this for e-file fraud prevention)
- Social Security cards or other ID for any new dependents
- Bank routing/account info for direct deposit of refunds
- Prior-year carryforwards — capital losses, state credits, AMT credits, NOLs (usually pulled from last year's return)
Income documents
- W-2 from every employer for the year
- 1099-NEC / 1099-MISC for self-employment or contract income
- 1099-INT, 1099-DIV for interest and dividends
- 1099-B consolidated for brokerage accounts (pull both the summary and the detail)
- 1099-R for IRA, 401(k), and pension distributions
- SSA-1099 if you collected Social Security
- 1099-G for unemployment or state tax refunds
- K-1s from any partnerships, S-Corps, or trusts you hold an interest in
- 1099-K from any payment app (Venmo, PayPal, Stripe) — even if you think it's personal money
Send K-1s as soon as you get them, even if other docs are missing. K-1s often arrive on March 30. We can't file your 1040 without them, and we don't want them to be the reason we go on extension.
Deductible-expense documents
- 1098 for mortgage interest from each lender
- 1098-T for tuition you or your dependents paid
- 1098-E for student loan interest
- Property tax bills paid during the year (real estate, vehicle)
- Charitable receipts — itemized for any single donation over $250, including the value of stock and goods donated
- Medical expense totals if you may exceed 7.5% of AGI (rare for most filers)
- State estimated payments with dates
- HSA contributions (Form 5498-SA) and HSA distributions (1099-SA)
- IRA contributions (Form 5498) — Roth and Traditional, both spouses
If you have a business or rental
- Profit & Loss statement for the year
- Balance Sheet as of December 31
- Asset additions and disposals with dates and amounts (we'll handle the depreciation)
- Mileage log if you take the standard mileage deduction
- Home office square footage if applicable, plus utilities/rent for the year
- Health insurance premiums paid — separately from any payroll-deducted amount
- Estimated tax payments to federal and state with dates
If you use QuickBooks, send us the file directly via accountant's copy or grant accountant access. That's faster and more accurate than a printed P&L.
Credits and life-event flags
Note any of these that happened during the year, even if there isn't a specific document:
- Got married, divorced, or had a baby
- Bought or sold a home
- Bought or sold an investment property or rental
- Started or closed a business
- Moved between states
- Cashed out an IRA or 401(k)
- Inherited money or property
- Started college for a dependent or finished one
- Received a major gift
- Settled a lawsuit or insurance claim
These don't always mean a separate form, but they almost always trigger questions or planning opportunities we'd want to ask about.
If you're not sure whether a document is relevant — send it. Bad: forgetting a $200 1099. Good: us spending 30 seconds saying "that one doesn't matter."
How to send
We use a secure document portal (we'll send you a link). Don't email tax documents. Email isn't encrypted and Social Security numbers in your inbox are exactly the kind of thing identity thieves look for.
If you're not yet a client and want to get started, reach out. We'll send you the portal link and the same checklist on day one.