Reviewed and updated October 16, 2026

Start with identity and prior records

Gather the prior-year return, current contact information and identification details for everyone on the return. Tell your preparer about marriage, divorce, births, deaths, moves and custody changes. Do not assume information copied from last year remains correct.

Include IRS or state notices and records of payments. A prior-year overpayment applied forward, estimated payments and extension payments can affect this year’s balance. Keep confirmation dates and amounts so payments are assigned to the correct taxpayer and year.

Collect income and benefit documents

Provide all wage statements, interest and investment forms, retirement statements and records of self-employment, rental and digital-asset activity. Include marketplace health-insurance Form 1095-A when applicable. Explain missing or corrected forms.

Bring records supporting education expenses, childcare, charitable gifts, medical expenses, mortgage interest and property taxes where relevant. Eligibility is not established by a receipt alone; your preparer may need information about residence, enrollment, support or the purpose of an expense.

Prepare business records and questions

Business owners should reconcile income and expenses, identify equipment purchases and loans, and separate personal transactions. Rental owners should bring depreciation schedules and purchase or sale closing statements. Do not send only bank deposits when platform fees, transfers and cash sales also exist.

Use the agreed secure upload process for sensitive records. Keep passwords and verification codes private. List decisions you want to discuss, such as withholding, estimated payments or retirement contributions. After preparation, review the completed return and ask about anything unfamiliar before approving electronic filing.

Official sources

This guide provides general information. The rules depend on the tax year, jurisdiction and your circumstances. Ask our team which filing or planning steps apply to you.