Before you prepare your taxes, gather all the documents you need to prepare a complete tax return.

Income documents

  • W-2s
  • 1099s
  • Proof of jury duty pay
  • Proof of alimony you received
  • Social Security statement (1099-SSA)
  • Dividend and interest statements (1099-DIV and 1099-INT)
  • Retirement distributions (1099-R)
  • Brokerage statements (1099-B), along with statements showing when you bought and sold your investments
  • K-1 statements reporting profits from partnerships, trusts, and small businesses,
  • Record of income and expenses for your rental property
  • Record of income and expenses for your self-employment

Other tax documents

  • HUD-1 Escrow statement for property you bought or sold,
  • Summary of moving expenses,
  • Summary of educational expenses (college tuition),
  • Summary of your child care, day care, or adult day care expenses,
  • IRA contributions (traditional, SEP, or rollovers)
  • Student loan interest paid (1098-E)

Tax deduction documents

  • Health care expenses (doctors, dentists, health insurance, eyecare, medicine)
  • Real estate taxes
  • Motor vehicle registration
  • Mortgage interest paid (1098)
  • Gifts to charity
  • Last year’s tax preparation fees
  • Job-related expenses (union dues, job education, uniforms)
  • Loss of property due to casualty or theft
  • Gambling losses