What Do I Need to Bring to File My Taxes?

Tax season is here and it’s time to get your documents ready so that you can have your taxes prepared in a timely manner. Are you new to professional tax preparation and are unsure what you need to bring with you? You don’t want to bring unnecessary papers, but you also don’t want to come to your tax preparation appointment with too much information missing. Here’s what you should bring with you to increase your chances of not needing to gather more paperwork at home or work.

ID and Social Security Card(s)

You need to show your ID and Social Security card so that your tax professional can verify your identity.

If you’ve had any changes to your name since your ID was issued and/or when your last tax return was filed, you also need to bring proof of this to your tax professional in case there are issues with the system accepting your return as a result.

If you have children who you claim as dependents, you also need to bring their Social Security cards (birth certificates if you have a newborn who hasn’t been issued a Social Security number yet.)

Last Year’s Tax Return

The last tax return that you filed provides a great “road map” for what your tax professional can expect to see. You will need to let them know if you’ve never filed a tax return, or if you have missing backdated returns that may need to be filed.

Official Tax Documents

You get a W-2 from your job and 1099-MISC forms if you are self-employed, so you definitely need to bring those. However, there are several other official tax documents you may receive that report income you earned or expenses you paid (such as Form 1098 for mortgage interest and Form 1098-T for college tuition.)

If you receive substantial income even if it’s not reported to you on a tax form, such as profits gained from your own business or receive rental income.

Lists of Transactions

You need to take a tally of the following items and bring proof of them to identify potential deductions and credits:

• Medical expenses for yourself, spouse, and dependents
• Donations to charity
• Higher education expenses (including student loan interest)
• Real estate tax payments
• Business expenses (if self-employed or you have substantial unreimbursed expenses at work)
• Major transactions such as selling your home
• Legal fees related to loss of income
• Financial advisory fees
• Any other transactions that you think may have an impact on your taxes

Talking with your tax professional may also reveal additional tax benefits you weren’t aware of that you’ll need to get documents for, but this list should be substantial to start with.

Rue & Associates is here for all of your tax preparation needs. We strive to make tax time less stressful and stay up-to-date on all the latest tax law changes so that you don’t have to. Please give us a call today to speak to one of our friendly and professional tax law experts.