Tax Prep Checklist: What do i need to file my taxes?
2018 tax prep checklist
Whether you see a tax professional or prepare your taxes on your own, we are here for you when you are ready to file.
Use the tax checklist below to find the documents and forms you'll need to get started.
Personal Information
- Your social security number or tax ID number
- Your spouse's full name and social security number or tax ID number
Dependent(s) Information
- Dates of birth and social security numbers or tax ID numbers
- Childcare records (including the provider's tax ID number) if applicable
- Income 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
- Employed
- Forms W-2
- Unemployed
- Unemployment, state tax refund (1099-G)
- Self-Employed
- Forms 1099, Schedules K-1, income records to verify amounts not reported on 1099s
- Records of all expenses — check registers or credit card statements, and receipts
- 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 (1099-SSA, 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)
- Other Income & Losses
- Gambling income (W-2G or records showing income, as well as expense records)
- Jury duty records
- Hobby income and expenses
- Prizes and awards
- Trusts
- Royalty Income 1099–Misc.
- Any other 1099s received
- Record of alimony paid/received with ex-spouse’s name and SSN
Types Of Deductions
- Home Ownership
- Forms 1098 or other mortgage interest statements
- Real estate and personal property tax records
- Receipts for energy-saving home improvements (e.g., solar panels, solar water heater)
- 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, hospitals
- Health Insurance
- Form 1095-A if you enrolled in an insurance plan through the Marketplace (Exchange)
- Form 1095-B and/or 1095-C if you had insurance coverage through any other source (e.g., an employer, insurance company, or government health plan such as Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, TRICARE, VA, etc.)
- Marketplace exemption certificate (ECN) if you applied for and received an exemption from the Marketplace (Exchange)
- Childcare Expenses
- Fees paid to a licensed day care center or family day care for care of an infant or preschooler
- Wages paid to a baby-sitter
Don't include expenses paid through a 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 & Local Taxes
- Amount of state/local income tax paid (other than wage withholding), or amount of state and local sales tax paid
- Invoice showing amount of vehicle sales tax paid
- 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
- Check FEMA site to see if my county has been declared a federal disaster area
Filing feels better with upfront pricing
At Block, what you see is what you get. No surprises. No hidden fees. Just tax prep the way it should be.
H&R Block
Drop Off Service
No time to wait? Use our convenient drop-off service to have your taxes prepared while you go about your day.
Need Live Support? 1-800-HRBLOCK (1-800-472-5625) or Find An Office and Book An Appointment today. Have questions about our paycheck calculator or your W-4? Our knowledgeable tax pros can help!
