Tax

Tax Preparation Services offered include:

  • C Corporation, S Corporation
  • Partnership/LLC Returns
  • Individuals
  • Trust & Estate
  • Tax Planning
  • Representation Services

Documents Generally Needed to Prepare Tax Returns

Here’s a summary of common types of documents and pieces of information often needed to prepare your tax return. Note that this isn’t an exhaustive list of every document I could possibly need. For a complete list, please download the Tax Organizer 2015 below.

For Business Entity (1120, 1120S, 1065) Tax Returns

  • A copy of your business’ federal and state income tax returns from the previous year.
  • A copy of your business’ payroll tax returns (Forms W2, W3, 941, state unemployment insurance, etc.) for this year.
  • A copy of your business’ QuickBooks file if you have one. If not, a copy of an income statement (also sometimes referred to as a “profit-and-loss statement”) and a balance sheet for the business for the taxable year using the business’ tax accounting method (it will usually be cash).
  • A copy of the business entity’s organization documents (such as a partnership agreement for a partnership, Articles of Incorporation for a corporation, or Articles of Organization for an LLC).
  • Ownership information about the business
    • For partnerships, this will be a description of:
      • Who are the partners in your business at the beginning and end of the year
      • What are the partners’ profit, loss, and capital allocation percentages, and
      • What (if any) changes in partnership interests took place during the year, and when
    • For corporations, this will be a description of:
      • Who are shareholders in your business at the beginning and end of the year, both under actual and constructive ownership, and
      • What (if any) changes in ownership of those shares took place during the year, and when
    • For LLCs, this will be a description of:
      • Who are the members of your LLC at the beginning and end of the year
      • What are the members’ ownership percentages, and
      • What (if any) changes in member interests took place during the year, and when

For Individual (1040) Tax Returns

  • General Information
    • Your federal and state income tax returns from the previous year.
    • The names, social security numbers, and birthdays of you, your spouse, and any dependents you wish to claim on your return.
  • Sources of Income
    • Any W-2s or Forms 1099, together with records of any other compensation you received during the year.
    • Any Schedules K-1 you received from partnerships, S corporations, estates, or trusts of which you are an investor or beneficiary.
    • Business income and expenses from any unincorporated business you operated during the year (sole proprietorship).
    • Details as to any investment property, including stocks, bonds, and real estate, you sold during the year. In addition to the type of property sold, we will need the purchase date, number of units purchased, purchase price, sale date, number of units sold, and sales price.
    • Details as to any other sources of income you have, such as income from rents, royalties, trusts and estates, farming, unemployment compensation, social security benefits, and any other income received during the year.
  • Pensions
    • The date and amount of contributions you made to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), Roth IRA, Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) or Keogh, the name of the institution maintaining the accounts of such plan, and the account number
    • The dates and amounts of any distributions you received from retirement-type plans during the year.
  • Information about your home
    • The statement (Form 1098) furnished by your mortgage interest lender. If you purchased a residence or refinanced a mortgage during the year, please include the settlement statement (HUD-1), which will reflect any interest charges paid at settlement, including “points.”
    • If you sold a personal residence during the year, we will need the closing statement from the sale, and similar information about any replacement residence that you purchased.
  • Miscellaneous adjustments, deductions, and disclosures
    • Information about any foreign bank accounts or foreign trusts you may have had an interest in or signature authority over.
    • Information about any alimony you either paid or received during the year, as well as any child support and medical expenses not reimbursed through insurance or otherwise.
    • Significant medical and dental expenses not reimbursed by your health insurance.
    • Various types of taxes you may have paid during the year, such as state and foreign income tax, federal and state excise tax, self-employment tax, real property tax, and personal property tax (such as on a boat or car).
    • Any gifts to churches or other charities, in cash or property, the names of such charitable organizations, and any receipts for contributions. Also, if you used your personal vehicle in performing services for charitable organizations, we will need records of your mileage.
    • Any losses due to casualty or theft, together with any insurance reimbursements you received.
    • Employee business expenses incurred during the year which were not reimbursed by your employer, such as work-related entertainment, travel, or educational expenses.
    • Records relating to any other deductible expenses, such as moving expenses, professional dues, student loan interest payments, tax return fees, investment fees, and gambling losses.

2015 Tax Organizer