Client Documents, Checklists and Worksheets
Getting your paperwork together before you come in saves everyone time and usually saves you money. Work through the lists below and bring what applies to you — if you are unsure about an item, bring it anyway.
Everyone should bring
- Photo identification for each taxpayer on the return
- Social Security numbers or ITINs for you, your spouse and every dependent
- Last year’s filed tax return, both federal and Florida
- Any correspondence you have received from the IRS or the Florida Department of Revenue
- Bank account and routing numbers if you would like a refund deposited directly
Income documents
- W-2 forms from every employer
- Forms 1099-NEC, 1099-MISC, 1099-K and 1099-R
- Social Security benefit statements (Form SSA-1099)
- Pension, annuity and IRA distribution statements
- Interest and dividend statements (1099-INT, 1099-DIV)
- Brokerage year-end summary, including cost basis for anything sold
- Schedule K-1s from partnerships, S corporations, estates and trusts
- Rental income and expense records, including the closing statements if a property was bought or sold
- Business gross receipts summary and expense records
- Records of any other income — jury duty, gambling, cancellation of debt, foreign accounts
Deductions and credits
- Mortgage interest statement (Form 1098) and property tax bills
- Records of state and local income tax or sales tax paid
- Charitable contribution receipts and acknowledgments
- Medical and dental expenses, and health insurance premiums paid
- Higher-education tuition statements (Form 1098-T) and student loan interest (Form 1098-E)
- Childcare provider name, address and tax identification number
- Estimated tax payments already made, with dates and amounts
- Energy-efficient home improvement receipts and manufacturer certifications
Business owners, in addition
- Profit and loss statement and balance sheet for the year, or the raw records to build them
- Bank and credit card statements, and the reconciliations if you keep them
- Fixed asset additions and disposals — what was bought, what was sold, and when
- Loan and lease agreements entered into or changed during the year
- Vehicle mileage log and the business-use percentage
- Payroll reports filed during the year, plus Forms W-2 and W-3
- Forms 1099 issued to contractors, with W-9s on file
- Florida sales and use tax returns filed, and the annual resale certificate
- Inventory counts at the beginning and end of the year
Year-end checklist for the books
- Reconcile every bank and credit card account through December 31
- Confirm all accounts receivable and payable are recorded in the right period
- Separate personal spending that ran through a business account, and record the owner draws
- Count inventory and write off anything obsolete
- Set aside the paperwork for any purchase you may want to expense rather than depreciate
Next step
Ready to get your books and returns in order?
Call the office, tell us what you are dealing with, and we will set up a time to go through it. Appointments are recommended, and existing clients can usually be seen at short notice.