Checklist
Tax records and documents checklist
This checklist lists the kinds of paperwork that commonly feed a US federal tax return, grouped by situation. Tick what applies to you and what you have already found. It names document types only. It does not tell you what you owe, what you can deduct or how much.
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Before you rely on this
This is general information, not tax advice. Which documents you need depends on your own facts, and a missing form does not remove the need to report the income. A tax professional can tell you what applies to you.
How to use it
Start with the first section, then tick through only the situations that describe your year. Many people fit more than one, such as an employee with side income who also owns a home. Collect documents as they arrive instead of all at once, because forms from employers and payers show up at different times, and corrected forms sometimes follow. The Tax Records and Documents checklist does not decide whether you must file or what is taxable. It only helps you avoid a late scramble.
Why documents without amounts
Tax figures such as limits, thresholds and credit amounts change from year to year, and a checklist with numbers would go stale. For any figure, use the current IRS instructions for your tax year. Two IRS publications are the best starting points for this topic: Publication 552, Recordkeeping for Individuals, and Publication 583, Starting a Business and Keeping Records. Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax, covers individual returns in general.
Where this comes from
The document types come from the IRS information return and form names published by the IRS (Forms W-2, 1099 series, 1098 series, 1095-A, 5498 and Schedule K-1) and from the recordkeeping guidance in IRS Publications 552 and 583. These were read as published guidance, not tested in practice. The site owner is not a tax professional.
Where to get help
- The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program offers free basic return preparation to people who qualify.
- The Taxpayer Advocate Service is an independent organization within the IRS that helps people whose tax problem is not being resolved through normal channels.
- A licensed tax professional such as a CPA, an enrolled agent or a tax attorney can advise on your own situation.