Checklist of Items to Bring to Tax Meeting

The list below represents the most common items needed for your initial tax meeting, but the list in not all-inclusive.  If you are concerned about a particular item or issue, please bring it with you to discuss during your tax meeting.  Its better to know what your options are than to live in fear assuming what you perceive may be their consequences.  REMEMBER:  YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU DO NOT KNOW because only a Tax Pro (CPA, EA) knows what should be on your return.

• Prepare for Your Tax Meeting
• Last 2 years of Tax Returns
• For children & other dependents: Birthdates & Social Security Numbers (and/or SSN cards)
• W-2s for ALL jobs (call employer to get replacement W-2 if you do not have yours)
• 1099 Forms: 1099-MISC for Work Performed as an Independent Contractor; 1099-R for Pensions & Retirement Income; 1099-SSA for YOUR Social Security Income (not Childrens; 1099G for your State Tax Refund
• Investments: 1099-B for Sale of Stocks/MutualFunds (& bring your original purchase price for shares sold); For Interest & Dividend Income, see above. 1099-R for IRA withdrawals
• Investments: Year-End Statements for ALL investment accounts held, such as Brokerage accounts, as well as for all Retirement Accounts (401k, 403b, IRA, ROTH, Annuities)
• Rental Properties: All expenditures related to the Rental property(ies), including repairs, improvements; All Rents Received must be listed out to our office; and 1098s and Loan Modifications (1099-A
• Real Estate - Purchases & Sales: For ALL real estate that you own, we must have a copy of the Final (not Estimated) Settlement Statement (i.e. HUD1). If you sold your property we will need both the
• Other Income: Any other "side" jobs or income you received, including Legal Settlement Proceeds.
• Medical: All medical insurance premiums that YOU pay either by check or by a reduction in your paycheck or pension check. There are many things that qualify for medical , so just bring them in and
• Insurance Premiums - Long Term Care: If you have LTC premiums, please bring the list of payments made during the last tax year.
• Prescriptions: As a tip, try to use one pharmacy during the year, and at year-end, you will be able to go to the pharmacy and request of list of all your copays (tax deductible) for all your prescrip
• Pets: While we all wish they could be claimed as dependents (since we all believe they are), and while we wish we could deduct all the veterinary visits and the prescriptions, unfortunately Fido (or
• Pets (cont'd): or Fifi) cannot yet be a tax deduction on our tax returns -- although one senator in Oregon did introduce a bill for a $500 pet tax credit.
• Child Care Providers (no Petsitters please): The provider's name, Federal Tax ID or SSN, address, and the amounts you paid to the provider for EACH child during the tax year
• Mortgage Interest Paid: For EACH property that you own, please bring the 1098 showing the total mortgage interest paid during the tax year; if no 1098 was issued please bring a copy of the loan agree
• Property Taxes: Bring a list of the checks or payments made to the local county property tax collectors office. For Contra Costa County residents, we can assist you in obtaining an internet copy of
• Sales Tax: If you purchased a car, boat, RV, mobile home in the tax year, your sales tax paid may be tax deductible (depending upon whether Congress renews this tax benefit).
• Taxes Paid to DMV: Car Registration Invoice & Receipt
• Estimated (or Prior Year) Taxes Paid to IRS or FTB: Please bring a list of the check amounts, date paid, check numbers, and recipient for any tax payments made during the tax year.
• Education (Tutition 1098-T & Student Loan Interest 1098-E): Total all expenses paid for education (1098-T) and any student loan interest you paid (1098-E)
• Job-Hunting Expenses: Include all expenses incurred searching for a new job; Keep a Mileage Log to log in each trip related to job-hunting. Without the mileage log, your deduction will likely be de
• Investment-Related Expense: Management Fees charged by Financial Advisor on a Non-Retirement account; Safety Deposit Box Rental costs, etc
• Charitable: Volunteer Mileage & Expenses donated to Charity; Donations of Money and/or Property to Charity; EVERY donation (even if $5) must be documented.
• Charitable: Car Donations now must have a 1098-C to be able to deduct the car donation.
• Union Dues (look at your final paystub)
• FINAL PAYSTUB: Medical and other tax deductions are shown on final paystubs.
• Unreimbursed Employee Business Expenses: for expenses you incurred on the job but for which your Employer did not reimburse you
• Self-Employed (i.e. Sole Proprietors): Bring in a Profit and Loss Statement showing Gross Receipts, and Cost of Goods Sold, a detailed list of ALL Inventory held on December 31st of the tax year
• Self-Employed (i.e. Sole Proprietors) - cont'd: Bring a detailed list of ALL your business expenses (including credit card charges for business expenses) broken into specific categories (i.e. adverti
• K-1s from Partnerships, S-Corps, and Fiduciary (Estates)
• Gambling: Request from EACH Casino you gambled in during the last tax year, a "Win/Loss" statement showing your Total "Coin In" and "Coin Out" (which is very helpful under an IRS audit). If you have
• Gambling - cont'd: We strongly recommend getting a Casino card. If you have a Players Card at the Casino, it will make life much easier. Also your W-2Gs will be needed but they do not report 100% o
• Gambling - cont'd: We strongly recommend getting a Casino Players card, which provide you with your Win/Loss Statements. Also we'll need your W-2Gs will be needed but they do not report 100% of your
• Gambling - cont'd: ....winnings, only those winnings over $1200. The IRS requires ALL winnings to be reported but you are allowed to offset Winnings vs Losses. The losses will need to be proved to
• Gambling - cont'd: ...the IRS, and the Win/Loss statements are the proof. If you do not have the Win/Loss statements it will be very difficult to prove your Losses without a Gambling Log,
• Tax Prep Fees paid during the prior tax year
• Home Energy Improvements (see article)
• FOREIGN BANK ACCOUNTS: A new mandatory reporting began in 2009. For those who did not report their foreign bank account (1) earnings on Sch B of the 1040, and (2) account information on the IRS Fore
• FOREIGN BANK ACCOUNTS - cont'd: ...on the IRS Foreign Bank Account Reporting Form, the penalties are up to and including criminal penalties. So just disclose ANY foreign bank accounts to us.
• Any Other Income Earned Outside of the United States as well as Outside of your Home State (i.e. California)
• Social Security Annual Benefit Statement: What amount of Social Security will you receive when you retire ? Your Annual Benefit Statement tells you that information. You usually receive your Annua

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