Tax Preparation Checklist

Use this checklist to help prepare yourself for your tax interview.

Tax Organizer

New clients, please complete this organizer ("2011_thetaxbook_organizer") and bring it with you to your appointment.  This is a fill and print form so you can fill it out on your computer before printing or you can print it first and fill it out by hand.  We'd like to ask that you also complete the "additional interview questions2011" and bring it along with the tax organizer.  Having all the questions answered in both files will help you be better prepared and speed up the interview process.  We greatly appreciate all the advanced preparation you can give us.

Returning clients, please contact the office and we can provide you a customized organizer based on information from your last year's tax return.

Earned Income Credit

The IRS is cracking down hard on taxpayers and preparers who continue to file fraudulent claims for the Earned Income Tax Credit, thereby placing more burdens on all of us who try to do things the right way.  To help us meet our due diligence standards regarding this credit, we are required to ask the questions on the below worksheet along with any other questions that may help us establish your eligibility for this credit.  An additional form is required to be attached to all returns claiming EIC to provide evidence of our due diligence.  Therefore, we will be asking these questions for all taxpayers for whom there is a possibility of qualifying for this credit.  You may fill out the below worksheet and bring it to us at your appointment to assist us in meeting these requirements as well as speeding up the interview process.  We can address any questions you have about this worksheet during your interview.  As always, your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

We want to make sure you receive all the credits you are entitled to, and sometimes that means we must ask a multitude of questions to determine your eligibility.  If you know a preparer who is not asking these questions and is still including this credit on returns, please let us know.

Charitable Contributions Checklist

Review this checklist to understand the record-keeping requirements for substantiating charitable contributions.

Schedule C - Self-employed Checklist

Use this Schedule C checklist to help you organize your self-employed business records to bring to your tax preparer at your appointment.  Use the 2011 Taxbook Organizer to record the dollar amounts of income and expenses for your interview.

Schedule E - Rental Checklist

This checklist will help you organize your documentation about your rental property to be reported on Schedule E.  The IRS is requiring more information be provided on Schedule E for rental properties, so it is important that you look this checklist over even if you've been reporting rental income for many years.  You can record the actual dollar figures in the 2011 Taxbook Organizer.

Schedule F - Farm Worksheet

Farmers, please use this worksheet to organize your records for your appointment.  Helpful hints are included to help you complete this worksheet.  Be sure to check out the last page for helpful year-end planning tips.

This worksheet is in a fill and print format so you can complete it on your computer and print it.  Of, if you prefer, you can print it first and fill it out by hand.

If you do not actively manage the farm operation, but instead rent the farm and receive payment from the production of the farm, please use the "Tax Pro Form 4835" form.  You can still refer to the Schedule F worksheet for the helpful hints if you wish.

1099 Worksheet

This worksheet helps you gather the information we need to accurately prepare any Forms 1099-MISC or 1099-INT that you need to have sent out.  You may need to use multiple copies of this worksheet if you have several forms to prepare.