Use the tax checklist below to find the documents and forms you'll need to get started.

Personal Information

•  Your social security number or tax ID number

•  Your spouse's full name and social security number or tax ID number

Dependent(s) Information

•  Dates of birth and social security numbers or tax ID numbers

•  Childcare records (including the provider's tax ID number) if applicable

•  Income of other adults in your home

•  Form 8332 showing that the child’s custodial parent is releasing their right to claim a child to you, the noncustodial parent (if applicable)

Sources Of Income

• Employed

  •  Forms W-2

• Unemployed

  •  Unemployment, state tax refund (1099-G)

• Self-Employed

  •  Forms 1099, Schedules K-1, 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

  •  Office in home information, if applicable

  •  Record of estimated tax payments made (Form 1040–ES)

• 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 1040–ES)

• Retirement Income

  •  Pension/IRA/annuity income (1099-R)

  •  Traditional IRA basis (i.e., amounts you contributed to the IRA that were already taxed)

  •  Social security/RRB income (1099-SSA, 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)

  •  Health Savings Account and long-term care reimbursements (1099-SA or 1099-LTC)

  •  Expenses related to your investments

  •  Record of estimated tax payments made (Form 1040–ES)

• Other Income & Losses

  •  Gambling income (W-2G or records showing income, as well as expense records)

  •  Jury duty records

  •  Hobby income and expenses

  •  Prizes and awards

  •  Trusts

  •  Royalty Income 1099–Misc.

  •  Any other 1099s received

  •  Record of alimony paid/received with ex-spouse’s name and SSN

Types Of Deductions

• Home Ownership

  •  Forms 1098 or other mortgage interest statements

  •  Real estate and personal property tax records

  •  Receipts for energy-saving home improvements (e.g., solar panels, solar water heater)

  •  All other 1098 series forms

• Charitable Donations

  •  Cash amounts donated to houses of worship, schools, other charitable organizations

  •  Records of non-cash charitable donations

  •  Amounts of miles driven for charitable or medical purposes

• Medical Expenses

  •  Amounts paid for healthcare insurance and to doctors, dentists, hospitals

• Health Insurance

  •  Form 1095-A if you enrolled in an insurance plan through the Marketplace (Exchange)

  •  Form 1095-B and/or 1095-C if you had insurance coverage through any other source (e.g., an employer, insurance company, or government health plan such as Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, TRICARE, VA, etc.)

  •  Marketplace exemption certificate (ECN) if you applied for and received an exemption from the Marketplace (Exchange)

• Childcare Expenses

  •  Fees paid to a licensed day care center or family day care for care of an infant or preschooler

  •  Wages paid to a baby-sitter
    Don't include expenses paid through a flexible spending account at work

• Educational Expenses

  •  Forms 1098-T from educational institutions

  •  Receipts that itemize qualified educational expenses

  •  Records of any scholarships or fellowships you received

  •  Form 1098-E if you paid student loan interest

• K-12 Educator Expenses

  •  Receipts for classroom expenses (for educators in grades K-12)

• State & Local Taxes

  •  Amount of state/local income tax paid (other than wage withholding), or amount of state and local sales tax paid

  •  Invoice showing amount of vehicle sales tax 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

  •  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

  •  FEMA assistance information

  •  Check FEMA site to see if my county has been declared a federal disaster area