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Prepare the individual return

An individual tax preparation checklist organized around what changed.

Use this guide to identify the documents and life events that commonly affect an individual return, then follow the tailored request list for your actual engagement.

Request a ConsultationUse the Guide
Who it is forIndividuals, families, investors, rental owners, and business owners
JurisdictionFederal and state overview
Last reviewedAugust 8, 2026
UseGeneral educational information, not individualized advice
Begin with the prior return and a list of what changed: household, address and states, jobs, businesses, investments, property, retirement, health coverage, education, estimates, notices, and major transactions. Then organize the supporting forms by person and source.

01

Household, identity, and prior return

Confirm the people, addresses, states, and history that define the filing picture.

Prior federal and state returns and carryover schedules.
Current address, states lived or worked in, and dates of any move.
Marital status and date of marriage, divorce, separation, or spouse’s death if applicable.
Dependents, custody arrangements, support, education, childcare, and identity-protection PINs if applicable.
Estimated payments, extension payments, prior-year refunds applied forward, and tax notices.
Provide sensitive identity documents only through the secure method requested by the team.

02

Income and financial accounts

Collect forms, then note income or activity that may not produce a familiar tax form.

Forms W-2 and 1099 for interest, dividends, retirement, Social Security, unemployment, contract work, and other income.
Brokerage consolidated statements, transaction details, cost-basis gaps, equity compensation, and digital-asset activity.
K-1 forms from partnerships, S corporations, estates, trusts, and other pass-through entities.
Foreign income, accounts, assets, ownership, gifts, pensions, or other international activity.
Alimony, prizes, settlements, debt cancellation, royalties, hobby income, or other unusual receipts.
Wait for corrected or final consolidated brokerage and K-1 statements when applicable; early versions may change.

03

Business, rental, and property

Sole-proprietor, rental, and property activity often requires records beyond year-end forms.

Business income and expense summary, 1099 forms, mileage/vehicle records, home-office facts, assets, inventory, and estimated payments.
Rental income and expenses, property-manager statements, mortgage interest, taxes, repairs, improvements, travel, and tenant deposits.
Purchase, sale, exchange, refinance, conversion, or improvement records for real estate and other significant property.
Closing statements, prior depreciation schedules, settlement records, and dates property was placed in or removed from service.
State and local registrations or filings connected to business or rental activity.
Business vehicle and home-office questions apply only when there is business or rental activity that could make them relevant.

04

Deductions, credits, and planning facts

Provide the records for items that may apply, but do not assume every payment is deductible or produces a credit.

Mortgage interest, property taxes, charitable contributions, and other itemized-deduction records.
Health coverage, HSA contributions/distributions, medical expenses, and marketplace Forms 1095-A when applicable.
Retirement contributions, Roth conversions, rollovers, required distributions, and basis records.
Education tuition statements, student-loan interest, dependent care, adoption, and energy-related property records.
Major changes expected next year: income, withholding, retirement, sale, move, marriage, child, business, or property.
Eligibility and limits depend on income, documentation, timing, ownership, filing status, and other facts.

Sources and limits

Verify current rules before acting.

This guide is a starting point. International, gift, estate, trust, transaction, employee-benefit, digital-asset, state, and specialty filings may require additional information. Use the engagement team’s tailored request list.

Related next steps

Services related to this guide.

The service scope depends on your records, entities, states, transactions, deadlines, and goals.

Individual Tax Services

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Pricing

Use the estimator for a rough starting point based on the published schedule.

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Secure File Upload

Send requested personal tax records through the protected workflow.

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Should I answer questions that do not apply to me?

No. A tailored organizer or conditional estimate should show only questions relevant to the income, activity, and return type you identify.

Do I need to wait for every K-1 and brokerage statement?

Generally, the return cannot be finalized without the applicable final information. Tell the team what is still outstanding and whether corrected forms are expected.

Can I send documents through the consultation form?

No. Use the consultation form only for a high-level description. Send tax documents and sensitive records only through the secure workflow requested by the team.

What if I lived or worked in more than one state?

Provide the states, dates, employers, property, business activity, and withholding involved. Residency and source-income rules may create more than one filing.

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