Walking into tax season unprepared is one of the most common reasons a return takes longer than it should. Our team sees it every year — a client arrives ready to file, only to realize a form is missing, and the return sits until they can track it down. To help you avoid that delay, we’ve put together a complete checklist of what documents to gather for tax time, organized by category so nothing gets overlooked.
Personal and Identification Information
Before we can prepare your return, our team confirms a few baseline details for you and anyone you’re claiming as a dependent.
- Social Security numbers or ITINs for yourself, your spouse, and any dependents
- Dates of birth for yourself, your spouse, and any dependents
- A copy of last year’s tax return, especially if this is your first year working with our firm
- Bank account and routing numbers, if you want your refund direct deposited or plan to pay a balance electronically
Income Documents
This is usually the largest category, and the one most likely to have a missing piece. Our team reviews each of these carefully to make sure your reported income is complete and accurate.
- W-2s from any employer you worked for during the year
- 1099-NEC or 1099-MISC forms for freelance, contract, or gig work
- 1099-INT and 1099-DIV forms for interest and dividend income
- 1099-B forms for stock sales or investment activity
- 1099-R forms for retirement plan distributions
- SSA-1099 for Social Security benefits
- 1099-G for unemployment compensation or state tax refunds
- K-1 forms if you have an interest in a partnership, S corporation, or trust
- Records of rental income, if you own investment property
Deduction and Credit Documentation
Deductions and credits are where our team most often finds tax savings that individual taxpayers overlook on their own. Provide documentation for anything that applies to your situation:
- Form 1098 for mortgage interest paid
- Property tax statements
- Records of charitable contributions, both cash and non-cash
- Childcare provider records, including their tax ID number
- Education expenses, including 1098-T forms and student loan interest (1098-E)
- Medical and dental expenses, if they were significant during the year
- Records of IRA or HSA contributions
Documentation for Life Changes
If anything significant changed in your life this year, our team needs to know about it, since it often affects your filing status, deductions, or credits.
- Marriage, divorce, or a change in dependents
- Purchase or sale of a home
- Birth or adoption of a child
- A move to or from another state, including a move to Colorado
That last one matters more than people expect. We regularly work with clients who’ve recently relocated to Colorado and aren’t sure how their prior state’s income should be treated here — our team walks through and reviews your specific situation, so nothing gets double-taxed or missed on your Colorado return.
Documentation If You Own a Business or Rental Property
If you’re self-employed, own a small business, or hold rental property, your individual return gets more involved, and we’ll need additional records:
- Profit and loss statement for your business or rental activity
- Records of business or rental-related expenses
- Mileage logs, if you deduct vehicle use
- Asset purchases, including any large equipment or property improvements
If your books aren’t in a state where you can easily pull these numbers, our bookkeeping services can get things organized before filing your taxes so we’re not reconstructing a year of transactions at the same time we’re preparing your return.
Why Bringing Everything Up Front Matters
Missing documents are the single biggest reason an individual return takes longer than it needs to. When our team has everything at once, we can move straight into tax preparation instead of pausing to request follow-up items, which keeps your filing on track and reduces the back-and-forth.
It also gives us room to look beyond just filing your return. Once we have your full financial picture, we often identify tax planning opportunities for the year ahead — timing a Roth conversion, adjusting withholding, or planning around a life change you mentioned — conversations that are much harder to have well after the deadline is compressed or has passed.
Let Our Team Help You Get Ready
Gathering tax documents doesn’t have to be stressful, especially when you know exactly what to bring. Our team works with individual taxpayers throughout the Denver area and across Colorado, and we’re happy to walk through your specific situation if you’re not sure what applies to you. We use electronic tax organizers to assist in keeping you organized and provide safe and secure ways to provide your information to us. If you’re ready to get your taxes prepared correctly and on time, schedule a consultation with our team today.
