• Getting organized to prepare for your tax appointment can save you a ton of time, and is well worth the effort.

    If it’s just after tax season, this list will help you know what documents to keep an eye out for throughout the year and set aside. If your tax appointment is right around the corner, this list is a great resource to help you track down the right documents.

    With all of the changes every year (and, of course, that’s especially true THIS year), filing your taxes on your own is not for the faint of heart. That’s even with nice-looking softwares on the market which purport to make it easy for you.  

    But that’s what we’re here for.

    Let us be your easy button in Kern County.

    Income Tax Preparer Bakersfield, Tax Preparer Bakersfield, Marty Davis Bookkeeping

Filing your taxes on your own is not for the faint of heart. That’s even with nice-looking softwares on the market which purport to make it easy for you.

But that’s what we’re here for. Let *us* make it easy for you.

Below is a list of what you will need during the tax preparation process. Not all of them will apply to you — probably MOST will not. Nonetheless, it’s a useful checklist.

Before you get overwhelmed: yes, this is a long list — but it’s the unfortunate reality of our tax code that it’s not even comprehensive! But these items will cover 95% of our clients. Really, this is for ensuring that we’re able to help you keep every dollar you can keep under our tax code.

Also note: Certain deductions went away this year, that we’re used to handling on behalf of our clients. And some that you might be used to as well. This list has changed a little, and I’ve notated additional changes coming down the pike.

But again … we will be your guide. That’s what we’re here for.

Even if for some strange reason you won’t be using our cost-effective services this year, feel free to use this list as a handy guide…

Expenses

Documentation for medical and dental expenses paid out-of-pocket
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Medical Savings Accounts (MSAs)
Form 1099-SA (for distributions to your account)
Form 5498-SA (for contributions you made to your account)
Gifts to charity (receipts for single donations of $250+, and non-cash donations of $500+)
Childcare provider information (name, address, and Taxpayer Identification Number (SSN or EIN))
Documentation for adoption expenses
Receipts for donations to charity
Unreimbursed expenses and mileage related to volunteer work
Alimony received or paid (including payee’s SSN) if divorce finalized prior to 1/1/2019

Financial Liabilities
  • Auto loans and leases (account numbers and car value) if the vehicle is used for business 
  • Form 1098-E (student loan interest paid)
  • Early withdrawal penalties on CDs and other fixed-time deposits
  • Form 1099-C (canceled debt or loan defaults)
Deduction Documents

 

  • Health Savings Account (HSA) contributions
  • Student loan interest
  • Gifts to charity
  • Mortgage interest
  • State and Local Taxes (SALT)
  • Retirement plan contributions
  • Medical and dental expenses
  • Casualty or theft losses in a federally declared disaster area
  • Educator expenses
Automobiles

Vehicle registration fees
Personal property tax information
Sales tax on purchase
Business use of vehicle
Total miles driven for the year
Total business miles driven for the year
Receipts for all actual car expenses (gas, repairs, oil changes, insurance, etc.)

Homeowner / Renter Data

Residential address(es) for this year
Form 1098 (mortgage interest statement)
Records of any interest paid on home equity loans, lines of credit, or second mortgages
Form 1099-S (proceeds from real estate transactions)
Settlement or closing statement for any real estate purchased or sold during the year
Records of real estate and personal property taxes paid
Records of rent paid
Unreimbursed moving expenses (active-duty military only)

Personal Data

 

  • Social Security Numbers & DOB (including spouse, children, and dependents)
  • Identity Protection PIN (if issued by the IRS)
  • Last year’s or most recent federal and state tax returns (if not on file) 
  • Residential address(es) for this year
  • Childcare provider’s name, address, and tax ID (if claiming dependent care credit)
  • Dependent information: dates of birth, relationship
  • Any IRS or state tax notices received this year
  • Copy of driver’s license or state-issued ID (required for e-filing in some states)
Financial Assets

Form 1099-INT & 1099-OID (interest income statements)
Form 1099-DIV (dividend income statements)
Form 1099-B (proceeds from broker transactions)
Form 1099-R (retirement plan distribution)
Schedule K-1 (partner’s share of income, deductions, credits)

Health Insurance Data
  • All 1095-A Forms (Marketplace health insurance)
  • Records of credits and/or advance payments received from the Premium Tax Credit  (if claiming)
  • Any corrected 1095-A (if received)
  • Form 1095-B (if provided by employer or insurance carrier)
  • Form 1095-C (employer-provided health insurance offer and coverage)
Employment & Income Data

W-2 forms from all employers. Includes regular wages, overtime pay, and tips reported to employer (boxes 1, 5, and 7)
Last pay stub or year-end pay summary (for breakdown of overtime vs. regular pay)
Daily tip record (IRS Form 4070A or similar) or credit card slips
Records of unreported tips (for Form 4137)
Allocated tips (box 8 of W-2)
Non-cash tips (fair market value of tickets, passes, or other items)
1099 Forms
1099-NEC or 1099-MISC (independent contractor, side work)
1099-K (third-party payments like PayPal, Venmo, CashApp, etc.)
1099-INT (interest), 1099-DIV (dividends), 1099-B (brokerage sales)
1099-B: Brokerage Statements
1099-R (pensions, IRA, retirement distributions)
1099-G (unemployment or state refunds)
1099-Q (529 plan distributions)
1099-DA (digital asset/cryptocurrency transactions)
SSA-1099 (Social Security benefits)
K-1s from partnerships, S-corporations, or trusts
Records of cryptocurrency sales/trades
Form 3922 (transfer of stock options exercised)
Other income: jury duty pay, gambling winnings (W-2G), prizes, awards, or rental income, alimony received (including payer’s SSN) if divorce finalized prior to 1/1/2019