before your visit

• Please have all your documents before your appointment. If you are unable to print your documents, please upload them to our portal, and we can print them for you. We have many people to help during tax season and only a limited amount of time to do it. This has turned into a significant time waster for our office.  We require that you do this before your appointment. 
• It can take us 24-48 hours to reply to a message. We get very busy during tax season.  Again, we only have three months to do a lot of returns. There are only so many people in the office with the required knowledge to answer you.  To ensure an efficient response, please be advised that general "call/text me" messages without a stated reason will not receive a reply. Providing specific details allows our team to prepare the necessary information before returning your call. 
• Drop-off service. When dropping off, please leave us one to four weeks to complete your return.   We will call or text you when complete to set up a time for you to pick up your taxes.  You may request that we rush your taxes, and you will be assessed a rush fee. We do drop-offs in the order received. Sometimes, your tax return could take longer to complete if we run into unclear tax laws or if we get exceedingly backed up(it happens). We ask that you have patience and know that we are working on your return, and you can decide if you want it done correctly or fast. Sometimes correct does not equal fast. 

Identification

• Valid photo ID (driver’s license or state ID)
• Social Security cards or ITIN letters for you, your spouse, and dependents

 Banking Information

• Bank routing and account number for direct deposit of your refund
• A valid checking or savings account in your name (or joint name)

Important IRS Notice:
For the 2025 tax year (filed in 2026), the IRS is phasing out paper refund checks. Refunds are expected to be issued electronically whenever possible.  If you do not provide valid direct deposit information, your refund may be delayed.

Income Documents

• W-2s from all employers
• Final 2025 pay stub(s)
  (Required if claiming the “No Tax on Overtime” or “No Tax on Tips” deduction)
• All 1099 forms, including:
  • 1099-NEC / 1099-MISC (self-employment or contract work)
  • 1099-INT / 1099-DIV (interest & dividends)
  • 1099-SSA (Social Security)
  • 1099-R (retirement income)
  • 1099-B (stock sales)
• K-1s (partnerships, S-corps, trusts, or estates)

No Tax on Overtime (New for 2025)

• Final 2025 pay stub(s) clearly showing overtime pay
• If overtime is not separated on your pay stub or W-2:
  • Employer payroll summary or written overtime breakdown

⚠️ Overtime deductions cannot be estimated — documentation is required.

No Tax on Tips (New for 2025)

• Final 2025 pay stub(s) showing tip income
• Tip logs (daily or monthly)
• Form 4070 or employer-provided tip reports, if available

 Education & Family

• 1098-T (college tuition)
• Childcare provider name, address, and EIN/SSN
• Records for child-related expenses
• Adoption paperwork, if applicable

 Health Insurance

• 1095-A (Marketplace insurance)
• 1095-B or 1095-C, if issued

Deductions & Credits

Bring documentation for any of the following if applicable:

• IRA or retirement contributions
• Charitable donations
• Medical expenses
• Mortgage interest (Form 1098)
• Property tax statements
• Energy credits or home improvements
• Self-employed business expenses

Payment Apps & Side Income

• Form 1099-K from payment apps or marketplaces (Venmo, PayPal, Cash App, Uber, DoorDash, Airbnb, Etsy, etc.)
• If no 1099-K was issued, bring income records or summaries from the app or platform

If you claim Earned Income Credit, Child Tax Credit, The Additional Child Tax Credit, or the American Opportunity Credit you are subject to IRS mandated due diligence. The record retention requirement mandates we keep some form of documentation that proves residency at the parent's address. Please call or text us before your appointment so we can go over this with you. 

Be sure to bring written documents for additional income not reported on a W-2 or 1099 form, such as other self-employment income, rental income, or alimony. This could be a spreadsheet, bank statements, or other written evidence. Bring canceled checks, receipts, or spreadsheets for any tax-related expenses. This may include contributions to your traditional or SEP-IRA, moving expenses, college expenses, medical and dental expenses, real estate taxes, gifts to charities and churches, and daycare or childcare costs*. Some expenses are reported to you. Mortgage interest, for example, is reported to you on form 1098, and the student loan interest is reported on Form 1098-E.  

*Please note that in order to claim childcare costs that were paid to an individual instead of a daycare/business, we must have the social security number or employer ID number (EIN) in addition to the name of the childcare provider.