Answers · Individual tax · Form 1040
What Documents Do I Need to File My Taxes?
Tax documents depend on income sources, deductions, credits, businesses, rentals, investments and carryovers.
How it works
The rule, and what it turns on.
Collect information returns plus records supporting items not shown on forms. Prior-year returns help identify carryovers and recurring issues.
Example
A taxpayer with wages, brokerage activity and a rental may need W-2s, 1099s, brokerage statements, rental books, mortgage/property-tax records, depreciation schedules and prior return.
Common mistakes
What we see go wrong, and what we do instead.
- Filing before all K-1s/1099s arrive.
- Forgetting prior-year carryovers.
A better approach
- Use an organizer and IRS wage-and-income transcript as a cross-check.
Authority
Where this comes from, so you can check it.
IRC §§1, 61, 63 and 6012; Form 1040 and current instructions.
Educational information, not individualized tax advice. Treatment depends on your facts, entity classification and tax year, and IRS instructions change. Confirm your own position with us before relying on it. Mint Associates does not provide legal services.
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