Checklists and Tools

Need Help Getting Ready To File?

See the 2025 Tax Year Preparation Checklist Below

Also available here as a PDF:  Tax Prep Checklist

Other Return Type Checklists:

2024 and Prior Tax Years Checklist

Estate Income Tax Return Checklist

NJ Inheritance Tax Return Checklist

*Also available are the following helpful tools:

Business Mileage Log (Can be used for any deductible mileage)

Business Recordkeeping

Rental Recordkeeping

2025 Tax Year Personal Return Checklist **Client is responsible for providing documents and information in full prior to tax preparation.  Please review your prior year documents/records to assist. ***Documents must be already printed out or IMMEDIATELY accessible at time of appointment. Personal Information
  • Prior year return (new clients only)
  • Date of move if you resided in more than 1 state
  • Names, birthdates and SSNs for everyone on return including Spouse’s SSN if Married Filing Separately (new clients or for new dependents/spouses on return)
  • Non-expired driver’s license or Govt. ID (DL#, issue date and exp date—if new client or if license expired since last tax season)
  • Routing and Account #s for direct deposit or balance payment–The IRS will NOT mail checks starting this year!!!
  • IP PIN for current calendar year–If using an Identity Protection PIN you will be assigned a new PIN every year in January. If you need to retrieve your PIN, see:  Retrieve your IP PIN | Internal Revenue Service
  • Verifyle access for our virtual preparation clients. Please access your account at verifyle.com and reset your password if needed.  *Please do not email tax documents, we cannot guarantee secure transmission.
Income/Information Forms
  • W2s from all jobs
  • Last paystub from each job where you paid medical insurance as a NJ employee, OR worked overtime
  • 1099-NEC from company that paid you as a contractor/self-employed person
  • SSA-1099 Social Security statement
  • 1099-R Pension, IRA, 401K withdrawals
  • 1099-G Unemployment or NJ family leave (will not be mailed, must access from online account)
  • 1099-MISC-rent received, NY family leave, other various payments/income
  • W-2G Gambling/lottery winnings
  • 1099 INT – bank interest (Bank must make available online/mail form by Jan 31) *Please check each bank you have account(s) at for tax documents after Jan 31
  • 1099-DIV, 1099-B or “composite or consolidated” 1099 from Brokerage (Brokerage has until Feb 17, 2026 to mail or make available online) *Please check your online account for each brokerage you have an account(s) with in the “Tax Documents” section to see if you have or will be issued these forms.
  • 1099-K Third Party Network Transactions (usually from online sales, Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, etc)
  • 1095-A form if you had Marketplace Insurance (Obamacare)-can be obtained from your online marketplace insurance account
  • 1099-SA if you used withdrew/paid for medical expenses with your HSA or MSA
  • 1099-S and closing statement if you sold your home or other real estate, plus date you purchase property, original cost plus cost of all upgrades to property
  • Rental properties: Rental income for the year not on a 1099-Misc form
  • Self-employed/small business: Revenue received not on a 1099 form
  • K-1 form from estates, trusts, partnerships, S Corps (including investment partnerships, brokerage form may state a K1 will come (mailed in middle of March); if stock names include “LP, MLP, or LLP” you will most likely receive a K1 in March
Deductions
  • 1098 Mortgage Interest/Property Taxes paid
  • Closing statement (settlement statement/HUD-1) if home sold or purchased during the year
  • Medical expenses out of pocket (vision, dental, mental health, miles driven for care long term care and other insurance premiums) (No receipts, just totals)
  • Charitable contributions made during the year (to qualified organization only-donations made to crowdfunding i.e. GoFundMe, Kickstarter, are not deductible. (No receipts, just totals)
  • IRA contribution information (SEP, traditional and Roth)
  • Rent paid for the year (NJ residents or residents of a state with rental tax benefit)
  • NJ resident veteran: DD214 if first year claiming NJ veteran deduction
  • Documentation form from car loan lender for vehicles purchased after 2024. Eligible vehicles have to be new, personal use, weigh under 14,000 pounds, and have final assembly in the U.S.  check here for assembly plant:  https://www.nhtsa.gov/vin-decoder
  • Business/Self-employed: Records of all expenses (no receipts, just totals) including mileage totals if driving for business: *Total miles (ALL miles) car was driven during the year, total business miles car was driven during the year.  See Business Recordkeeping and Business Mileage Log.
  • Rental Properties: Records of all expenses (no receipts, just totals).  See Rental Recordkeeping.
Dependent Related Items:
  • Day/Child Care amount paid for each child and caregiver’s EIN/SSN and address
  • Form 8332-signed by custodial parent when claiming child with split custody
  • Trump Accounts-if you would like to opt-in for your child(ren) please let us know, see: https://www.trumpaccounts.gov/
Higher Education:
  • 1098-E or total Student loan interest paid
  • 1098-T showing tuition payments made for college students
  • Contributions to NJ Best 529 plan or NY 529 College Savings program. See here for other states offering a 529 tax benefit:  About 529 Plans
  • Term bills, payments to college for room and board, purchases of college related supplies (computer, books, notebooks, software, etc) if 529 plan used
Home Energy Credit (Improvements placed in service by Dec 31, 2025)
  • QMID or Property ID number for most items: QM or PIN
Electric Vehicles (must be purchased by September 30, 2025)