"Must-Have" List of Tax Preparation Documents

Personal Information

• Your Social Security number or tax ID number
• Your spouse's full name and Social Security      number or tax ID number
• Your unexpired government issued ID (Driver’s      License in most cases)
• Your spouse's unexpired government issued ID
• Dates of birth and Social Security numbers or      other tax ID numbers
• Childcare records (including the provider's      tax ID number) if applicable
• Form 8332 when the child’s custodial parent is      releasing their right to claim a child to the noncustodial parent (if      applicable)

Income

• Employed
  • Forms W-2
• Unemployed
  • Unemployment (1099-G)
• Self-Employed
  • Forms 1099-NEC and 1099-K
  • Income records to verify       amounts not reported on 1099s
  • Records of all expenses –       check registers or credit card statements, and receipts
  • Business-use asset       information (cost, date placed in service, etc.) for depreciation
  • Home office information, if       applicable
  • Record of estimated tax       payments made (Form 1040ES)
• Rental Income
  • Records of income and       expenses
  • Rental asset information       (cost, date placed in service, etc.) for depreciation
  • Record of estimated tax       payments made (Form 1040ES)
• Retirement Income
  • Pension/IRA/annuity income       (1099-R)
  • Traditional IRA basis       (prior-year Forms 8606 showing amounts already taxed)
  • Social Security/RRB income       (SSA-1099, RRB-1099)
• Savings & Investments or Dividends
  • Interest, dividend income       (1099-INT, 1099-OID, 1099-DIV)
  • Income from sales of stock       or other property (1099-B, 1099-S)
  • Dates of acquisition and       records of your cost or other basis in property you sold (if basis is not       reported on 1099-B)
  • Record of estimated tax       payments made (Form 1040ES)
  • 1099-B and/or 1099-DIV from       cryptocurrencies, NFTs and all other similar type income or loss
  • Cost of all       cryptocurrencies, NFTs and other similar type of income sales
• Other Income & Losses
  • State refunds (Form 1099-G)
  • Income from K-1s either as       investment or as active owner
  • Gambling income (W-2G or       records showing income, as well as expense records)
  • Hobby income and expenses
  • Prizes and awards
  • Trusts
  • Royalties (1099-MISC)
  • Any other 1099s received
  • Health Savings Account and long-term       care reimbursements (1099-SA or 1099-LTC) Deductions
• Home Ownership
  • Form 1098 or other mortgage       interest statements
  • Real estate and personal       property tax records
• Charitable Donations
  • Cash amounts donated to       religious organizations, schools, other charitable organizations
  • Records of non-cash       charitable donations
  • Amounts of miles driven for       charitable purposes
• Medical Expenses
  • Amounts paid for healthcare       insurance and to doctors, dentists, hospitals
  • Miles driven for medical       purposes
  • Travel expenses for       medical, including hotels, planes, tolls, parking, etc
• Health Insurance
  • Form 1095-A if you have       health insurance through a State Marketplace (Exchange)
• Childcare Expenses
  • Daycare paid for a child       under age 13 so the taxpayer (and spouse) can work
  • Wages paid to a babysitter
• Educational Expenses
  • Forms 1098-T from       educational institutions
  • Receipts for qualified       educational expenses
  • Records of scholarships or       fellowships
  • Form 1098-E for student       loan interest
• State & Local Taxes or Sales Tax
  • Amount of state/local       income tax paid (other than wage withholding), or amount of state and       local sales tax paid
  • Invoice for large item       purchases such as cars, boats, motorcycles etc.
  • Amount of real estate taxes       paid
  • Amount of personal property       taxes paid
• Retirement & Other Savings
  • Form 5498-SA showing HSA       contributions
  • Form 5498 showing IRA       contributions
  • All other 5498 series forms       (5498-QA, 5498-ESA)
• Federally Declared Disaster (There were two in      Texas in 2024)
  • City/county you       lived/worked/had property in
  • Records to support property       losses (appraisal, clean-up costs, etc.)
  • Records of       rebuilding/repair costs
  • Insurance       reimbursements/claims to be paid