Documents You May Need to File Your Taxes

What I Need to File Taxes Online

When approaching a complex task like filing your taxes, it's best to get organized by creating a comprehensive checklist in advance. There are many forms and documents required when filing your taxes and it's best not to wait until the 11th hour to start locating them. While opting to e-file your taxes can take a lot of guesswork out of the tax filing process, we recommend creating a personal tax checklist regardless of your preferred method of filing. From required personal information to tax forms and documents, here's what you'll need before you start to file.

Personal Information Required to File Taxes Online

Identification Information
Your Social Security number, spouse's Social Security number (if married) and Social Security numbers for any dependents.
Primary Income Information
Regular wages/salary from employers you (and your spouse, if filing a joint return) worked for during the past tax year.
Investment Income Information
Investment income information including: interest income, dividend income, proceeds from the sale of bonds or stocks, and income from foreign investments.
Secondary Income Information
Business income (accounting records for any business that you own), unemployment income, Rental property income and/or Social Security benefits.
Miscellaneous Income Information
Income earned from jury duty, lottery and gambling winnings, prizes and awards and distributions from medical savings accounts.
Personal Expenses
Business expenses, child care expenses, gambling losses, medical expenses, moving expenses, Personal property tax, such as car registration paid, real estate tax bills.

Tax Documents Required to File Taxes Online

W-2 Form

The W-2 form is one of the most important tax documents required for tax filing. The Federal Wage and Tax Statement form, otherwise known as a W-2, is issued to the taxpayer from their employer. The W-2 will state how much they were paid and how much was withheld during the last year. The information will almost always be required for anyone filing their taxes. If you are filing jointly with a spouse, their W-2s must be used as well.

1099 Form

The next form that is required in the filing of your taxes will be a 1099. This form is used to report any other various types of income which are not considered wages, salaries, or tips. Often, this will include scholarships and grants, contractor services over $600, pensions, annuities, retirement plans, insurance contracts, etc. These forms may be mailed out to the taxpayer by a government agency, contracting company, a health insurance provider, financial institution as well as other entities who may have distributed proceeds to the taxpayer throughout the year.

Types of 1099 Forms

1099 - Type	Description
A	Acquisition of (or Abandonment of) Secured Property
B	Proceeds from Broker
C	Cancellation of Debt
CAP	Changes in Corporate Control (or Changes in Capital Structure)
DIV	Dividends
G	Payment from The Government
H	Health Insurance Payment
INT	Earned Interest
LTC	Long Term Care Benefit
MISC	Miscellaneous
OID	Original Issue Discount
PATR	Distributions Received from Cooperatives
Q	Education Program Payment
R	Pension, Annuity or Retirement Plan Payment
S	Real Estate Proceeds
SA	HSA Payments
S	U.S. Income Earned by A Foreigner
SSA - 1099	Social Security Payments (SSA-1042S For Non-US Residents)
RRB - 1099	Railroad Retirement Board Payment (RRB-1042S For Non-US Residents)
W - 2G	Gambling Winnings

1098 Form

The 1098 form is used to report the amount of deductible interest paid during the tax year (such as mortgage-related interest). This is particularly important because what it reports represents potential deductions that can reduce your taxable income. This form comes in three common supplemental variations.

3 Types of 1098 Forms

1098 - Type	Description
C	Reports Donations of Motor Vehicles, including Boats and Airplanes
E	Reports the Interest Paid on Student Loans
T	Detailing Tuition and Education-Related Fees Paid During the Year

File 1040EZ Online

E-file.com Lets Federal Filers File a 1040EZ Online For Free. See Who Qualifies to Use an IRS 1040EZ below

You can file a 1040EZ if…

Your filing status is single or married filing jointly.
You do not claim any dependents.
You claim no income adjustments.
Your taxable interest did not exceed $1,500.
You did not receive advance Earned Income Credit payments.
Your income sources are only from Wages, Salaries, Tips, Unemployment compensation, Taxable scholarships and fellowship grants.

You cannot file a 1040EZ if…

You are claiming casualty or disaster losses.
You claim certain tax credits such as credit for child and dependent care expenses, credits for elderly or the disabled, education credits, retirement savings contributions credit, child tax credit, additional child tax credit, earned income credit, and/or premium tax credit.
You are a debtor in a Chapter 11 bankruptcy procedure.
You owe household employment taxes.
You (and your spouse if filing jointly) are over 65 years old.
Your taxable income is higher than $100,000.

What to Do If You're Missing Tax Documents

Missing W-2

Employers are required by law to keep copies of your W-2 forms and all other payroll information for at least four years. Some employers may charge a small fee for a second form.

Missing 1099

You may be able to obtain a missing 1099-form from your bank via download or by calling their customer service number to get a new 1099-INT mailed to you. Additionally, investment brokers can mail you copies of your Form 1099-B and 1099-DIV to report stock trading and dividend activity. If you're missing a 1099-MISC form, contact your clients for a new copy.

Why Choose E-file.com?

Faster & Easier Than Paper Filing

Filing online is the fastest way to file your tax return. Online tax filing helps you get your tax refund much quicker than filling out paper forms and mailing them through the post office.

Speedy Confirmation from IRS

With online filing, you will usually receive an acknowledgement that the IRS has received your return within 24-48 hours. You will also receive confirmation once the return is accepted.

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Tax Documents Checklist: File My Taxes Online

Tax Documents Checklist