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Tax Document Checklist

Depending on your situation depends on the documents you need for tax prep. Use this list to help you prepare to have your taxes filed.

Personal Information
Tax Identification Numbers are mandatory items on your checklist. All taxpayers will need some of the following to do their taxes:

  • Your social security number or tax ID number
  • Your spouse’s full name, social security number or tax ID number, and date of birth
  • Identity Protection PIN, if one has been issued to you, your spouse, or your dependent by the IRS
  • Routing and account numbers to receive your refund by direct deposit or pay your balance due if you choose
  • Foreign reporting and residency information – if applicable

Dependent(s) Information
Parents and caregivers should gather this information as they review what they need to file their taxes.

  • Dates of birth and social security numbers or tax ID numbers
  • Childcare records (including the provider’s tax ID number) if applicable
  • Income of dependents and 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
Many of these forms won’t be needed to file taxes every year. For example, you will only receive the investment forms you may need to file your taxes if you had distributions or other activity.

Employed

  • Forms W-2
  • Check stubs showing OVERTIME pay and hours(2025 only)

Unemployed

  • Unemployment (1099-G)

Self-Employed
Forms 1099, Schedules K-1, income records to verify amounts not reported on 1099-MISC or 1099-NEC

  • Records of all expenses — check registers or credit card statements, and receipts, business use of home i.e., (utilities, mortgage/rent, property insurance, etc.)
  • 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: , 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)
  • Transactions involving digital assets like cryptocurrency or NFTs (1099-DA)

Other Income & Losses
Payment Card and Third Party Network Transactions – 1099-K

  • Gambling income (W-2G or records showing income, as well as expense records)
  • Jury Duty Records
  • Hobby Income and Expenses
  • Prizes and awards
  • Trust Income
  • Royalty Income 1099-MISC
  • Any other 1099 Forms received (for investment & non-investment income)
    • The types of 1099 Forms you may encounter during the tax season are:
    • 1099-B, Proceeds from Broker and Barter Exchange Transactions
    • 1099-C, Cancellation of Debt
    • 1099-DA, Digital Asset Proceeds from Broker Transactions
    • 1099-DIV, Dividends and Distributions
    • 1099-G, Certain Government Payments (state or local tax refunds)
    • 1099-INT, Interest Income
    • 1099-K, Payment Card and Third Party Network Transactions
    • 1099-MISC, Miscellaneous Information
    • 1099-NEC, Non-employee Compensation
    • 1099-Q, Payments from Qualified Educational Programs
    • 1099-R, Distributions From Pensions, Annuities, Retirement or Profit-Sharing Plans, IRAs, Insurance Contracts, etc.
    • 1099-S, Proceeds from Real Estate Transactions
  • Record of alimony paid/received with ex-spouse’s name and SSN
  • State tax refund

Types of Deductions
The types of deductions you can take depend a lot on your life situation. It’s likely you won’t need all of the documents listed below for your taxes.

  • Unreimbursed Employee expenses ( purchase of work clothes, etc.)
    • If you’re a student or teacher, receipts for books, tuition and other education expenses
  • Home (Home mortgage and property tax records) and Vehicle Ownership
    Forms 1098 or other mortgage interest statements
  • Real estate and personal property tax records
  • Receipts for energy-saving home improvements (i.e., Solar panels, solar water heater)
  • Electric vehicle information
  • 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, and hospitals

  • Amounts paid for qualified insurance premiums if paid outside of the Marketplace or an employer provided plan

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

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

  • Amounts paid to a baby-sitter or provider care of your child under age 13 while you work
  • Expenses paid through a dependent care 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 and Local Taxes
Amount of state and local income or sales tax paid (other than wage withholding)

  • Invoice showing amount of vehicle sales tax paid and / or personal property tax on vehicles

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

Don’t forget a copy of last year’s tax form.