What to bring to your tax appointment

Half of what slows a return down isn't the tax law; it's tracking down a document after the appointment already started. Here's the working list Chuck gives clients before they come in or upload to the portal. Not everything applies to every return; bring what fits your situation.

Income

• W-2s from every employer you worked for during the year
• 1099s: contract work, interest, dividends, retirement distributions, unemployment
• Records of any side income, even if no 1099 was issued for it

Deductions and credits

• Mortgage interest statement (Form 1098) and property tax records
• Childcare provider name, address, and tax ID if claiming the childcare credit
• Charitable donation receipts, especially for anything non-cash
• Tuition statements (Form 1098-T) for anyone in the household attending school

If you own a business

• Total income and expenses by category, not a shoebox of receipts
• Mileage log if you're deducting vehicle use
• Any 1099s you issued to contractors

Always useful

Bring last year's return if you're new to the office; it answers most of the "did we do this last year" questions in seconds. And if anything changed during the year (a marriage, a new dependent, a move, a home purchase) mention it up front. It usually changes more of the return than people expect.

This is general information, not personalized tax advice. Every return is different; talk with your preparer about what applies to your specific situation.