What to Gather Before Your Tax Appointment

Every tax season, I see the same pattern: the clients who come prepared walk away with a better outcome than the ones who show up with a shoebox of receipts and a hope. It's not about being perfect — it's about giving me what I need to actually find every deduction and credit you qualify for.

Chak sezon taks, mwen wè menm modèl la: kliyan ki vini prepare yo jwenn yon pi bon rezilta pase sa yo ki parèt ak yon bwat resi ak yon espwa. Se pa yon kesyon de pafè — se yon kesyon de ban m sa m bezwen pou reyèlman jwenn chak dediksyon ak kredi ou kalifye pou li.

Basic Identification & Personal Info

Idantifikasyon Debaz ak Enfòmasyon Pèsonèl

• Social Security numbers (or ITINs) for you, your spouse, and any dependents
• Nimewo Sekirite Sosyal (oswa ITIN) pou ou, konjwen ou, ak nenpòt depandan
• Prior year's tax return, if you're a new client
• Deklarasyon taks ane pase a, si ou se yon nouvo kliyan
• Bank account and routing number for direct deposit of any refund
• Kont labank ak nimewo routing pou depo dirèk nenpòt ranbousman

Income Documents

Dokiman Revni

• W-2s from every employer
• W-2 nan chak anplwayè
• 1099s — for contract work, interest, dividends, unemployment, or retirement distributions
• 1099 — pou travay kontra, enterè, dividann, chomaj, oswa distribisyon retrèt
• Records of any other income: rental property, side business, gig work
• Rekò lòt revni: pwopriyete lokasyon, ti biznis akote, travay gig

Deduction & Credit Documentation

Dokimantasyon Dediksyon ak Kredi

• Mortgage interest statement (Form 1098)
• Deklarasyon enterè ipotèk (Fòm 1098)
• Property tax records
• Rekò taks pwopriyete
• Childcare expenses and provider's tax ID
• Depans gadri ak ID taks founisè a
• Education expenses (Form 1098-T, student loan interest statements)
• Depans edikasyon (Fòm 1098-T, deklarasyon enterè prè etidyan)
• Medical expenses, if they were significant
• Depans medikal, si yo te siyifikatif
• Charitable donation receipts
• Resi don charite
• Business expenses, if you're self-employed or run a small business
• Depans biznis, si ou travay pou tèt ou oswa ou dirije yon ti biznis

Life Changes That Affect Your Taxes

Chanjman nan Lavi Ki Afekte Taks Ou

This is the part people forget to mention, and it matters. Tell me if any of the following happened this year: you got married, divorced, or had a child; you bought or sold a home; you started a business or became self-employed; you changed jobs or had a significant income change; someone in your household passed away.

Sa se pati moun bliye mansyone, epi li enpòtan. Di m si nenpòt nan sa ki annapre yo te rive ane sa a: ou marye, divòse, oswa te gen yon pitit; ou achte oswa vann yon kay; ou kòmanse yon biznis oswa ou vin travay pou tèt ou; ou chanje travay oswa ou te gen yon chanjman revni siyifikatif; yon moun nan kay ou mouri.

A Note on Being PTIN Active

Yon Nòt sou Èt PTIN Aktif

As an IRS PTIN-registered preparer, I take the accuracy of your return seriously. That starts with having complete documentation upfront — it's how we avoid amendments later and make sure you're not leaving money on the table.

Kòm yon preparatè anrejistre PTIN IRS, mwen pran presizyon deklarasyon ou oserye. Sa kòmanse ak gen dokimantasyon konplè davans — se konsa nou evite amannman pita epi asire ou pa kite lajan sou tab la.