Sofia Torres, CPA
Senior Accountant · March 15, 2026
After four years preparing individual and business tax returns, I've seen every version of 'I think I have most of it.' Here is the complete list of what you actually need — organized by taxpayer type. I send a version of this to every new Harbor Tax client in January.
Everyone needs: prior year tax return (if we didn't prepare it), Social Security numbers for yourself and any dependents, and a copy of your driver's license (required by the IRS e-filing system for identity verification). If your address changed, bring documentation. If your banking information changed and you want your refund deposited directly, have your routing and account numbers ready.
W-2 employees need: Form W-2 from every employer, Form 1099-INT or 1099-DIV if you have bank accounts or investments, Form 1099-B if you sold any securities, Form 1099-R if you took a retirement distribution, Form 1095-A if you bought insurance through Healthcare.gov, and any mortgage interest statement (Form 1098) if you own a home.
Self-employed individuals and business owners need everything above, plus: profit and loss statement for the year (or access to your accounting software), mileage logs, home office measurements and utility bills if claiming the home office deduction, records of all business equipment purchased during the year, payroll records if you have employees, and any Form 1099-NEC you received (these are informational — you're required to report the income regardless of whether a 1099 was issued).
Property owners need: closing disclosure if you bought or sold property during the year, Form 1099-S if you sold real estate, rental income records and expense receipts (repairs, management fees, insurance, property tax, mortgage interest), and depreciation schedules from prior years if we're new to you.
One last thing: if you received any IRS notices during the year — even if you think they're already resolved — bring them. We review every notice at no additional charge and make sure the record matches what you filed.
Your business should have a blog this good.
WorkspaceCMS ships with an AI blog writer that writes in your voice — and a content calendar to keep you consistent.