WHAT DO I NEED TO FILE MY TAXES?
What you need to file your taxes varies depending on your situation. For example, if you’re a self-employed college student, you may need 1099 and 1098-T forms to file your taxes. However, if you weren’t in college and only received a W-2, you could skip those tax documents.
Whether you see a tax professional or prepare your taxes on your own, we’re here to help you determine what documents you need to file your taxes. Use the checklist below to find the tax documents and forms you'll need to get started:
TYPES OF DEDUCTIONS
The types of deductions you can take depend a lot on your life situation. It’s likely you won’t need all of the documents listed below for your taxes.
Home Ownership
o Forms 1098 or other mortgage interest statements
o Real estate and personal property tax records
o Receipts for energy-saving home improvements (e.g., solar panels, solar water heater)
o All other 1098 series forms
Medical Expenses
o Amounts paid for healthcare, insurance, and to doctors, dentists, and hospitals
Childcare Expenses
o Fees paid to a licensed day care center or family day care for care of an infant or preschooler
o Amounts paid to a baby-sitter or provider care of your child under age 13 while you work
o Expenses paid through a dependent care flexible spending account at work
K-12 Educator Expenses
o Receipts for classroom expenses (for educators in grades K-12)
Retirement & Other Savings
o Form 5498-SA showing HSA contributions
o Form 5498 showing IRA contributions
o All other 5498 series forms (5498-QA, 5498-ESA)
Charitable Donations
o Cash amounts donated to houses of worship, schools, other charitable organizations
o Records of non-cash charitable donations
o Amounts of miles driven for charitable or medical purposes
Health Insurance
o Form 1095-A if you enrolled in an insurance plan through the Marketplace (Exchange)
Educational Expenses
o Forms 1098-T from educational institutions
o Receipts that itemize qualified educational expenses
o Records of any scholarships or fellowships you received
o Form 1098-E if you paid student loan interest.
State & Local Taxes
o Amount of state and local income or sales tax paid (other than wage withholding)
o Invoice showing amount of vehicle sales tax paid and / or personal property tax on vehicles