Most recent tax returns
When you arrive to meet with your tax preparer, always have a copy of your most recent tax returns, if not the past several years. This information helps your preparer get in a rhythm and can educate them about what you have been doing to benefit from your taxes, which can help them see ways that you’ve been missing out. On top of this, cutting down on the amount of time that a tax preparer needs to gather this information from scratch will save you money on labor.
Wage statement forms
This might sound obvious, but many people neglect to bring in their wage statement forms for the first meeting with a professional tax preparer. A wage statement form, such as a W-2, is an absolutely necessary document to complete your taxes. Failing to bring in such a form when you meet with your preparer is wasting both yours and their time.
Any real estate documents
Typically, most of the best returns that a tax preparer is able to get for families and individuals is dependent on their housing. The truth is that there is a lot of legal scenarios in real estate that allow the taxpayer to pay less, and get more back. For this reason, be sure to bring in any necessary real estate documents that will help your preparer do their job.
Statements of additional income
If you have other forms of income in your household that aren’t covered under any wage statement forms, then you need to have statements of that income so that your preparer can find ways to earn you deductions on those payments, and expenses that came in the pursuit of those payments.