By Steven Liebold, EA
Ideally, preparation for your tax appointment should begin in January of the tax year you’re working with. Right after the new year, set up a safe storage location – a file drawer, a cupboard, a safe, etc. As you receive pertinent records, file them right away, before they’re forgotten or lost. By making the practice a habit, you’ll find your job a lot easier when your actual appointment date rolls around.
Other general suggestions to consider for your appointment preparation include. . .
-
Segregate your records according to income and expense categories. For instance, file medical expense receipts in an envelope or folder, interest payments in another, charitable donations in a third, etc. If you receive an organizer or questionnaire to complete before your appointment, make certain you fill out every section that applies to you. (Important: Read all explanations and follow instructions carefully to be sure you don’t miss important data – organizers are designed to remind you of transactions you may miss otherwise.)
-
Keep your annual income statements separate from your other documents (e.g.,W-2s from employers, 1099s from banks, stockbrokers, etc., and K-1s from partnerships). Be sure to take these documents to your appointment, including the instructions for K-1s!
-
Write down questions you may have so you don’t forget to ask them at the appointment. Review last year’s return. Compare your income on that return to the income for the current year. For instance, a dividend from ABC stock on your prior-year return may remind you that you sold ABC this year and need to report the sale.
-
Make certain that you have social security numbers for all your dependents. The IRS checks these carefully and can deny deductions for returns filed without them.
-
Compare deductions from last year with your records for this year. Did you forget anything?
-
Collect any other documents and financial papers that you’re puzzled about. Prepare to bring these to your appointment so you can ask about them.
Other tax related questions? No problem. The SBDC and CITD hosts a FREE monthly IRS Tax Seminar in National City from June through January. This month is your last chance to get in on this event! Register now at http://www.sbditc.org/?q=node/279
You might remove a splinter from your own finger, but you wouldn’t perform heart surgery on yourself. A trip to a tax professional should at least tell you what you’re missing. Don’t hesitate to ask for help; it’s deductible. But call for an appointment now! The later your accountant does your return, the more tired that tax preparer will be. You want your return done when she’s at her best.Savings Account Online