7 things you need before you can prepare your tax returns.
If you perform services as an employee for any individual or company, you should receive a W2, Wage and Tax statement for 2015. This should detail your wages earned in 2015. Please remember all the part-time jobs you had and you should wait to receive all your W2’s before you see your tax professional. Your employer is required to provide this to you by January 31 each year.
You should have a Government issued Identification, preferably a drivers license, to verify your identity.
If you have dependent children, you should provide the birth certificate along with the social security cards (not merely the numbers…)
The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) requires all individuals to now have health insurance. You are required to provide proof of health insurance.
Verification of your filing status is extremely important and can impact your refund. Your preparer must be able to determine whether your filing status is single, married filing a joint return; married filing a separate return; or head of household.
Most preparers will offer to deduct their fees from your refund if you do not wish to pay upfront. There is usually a processing fee accessed.
Most importantly, if at any time during the year, you have a financial interest in or have signing authority over a financial account (i.e. bank account, securities or brokerage account), and this account is located in a foreign country, you are required to declare this on your tax return!!!!
Now are you really ready???……
