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Getting Help Preparing Your Tax Return

How To Prepare For A Meeting With A Tax Preparer

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Before meeting with your preparer, plan to get the most out of your visit by taking the following steps.

Step 1. Review your prior years' returns to review the deductions you've been taking so you can discuss them with your preparer.

Step 2. If you are using a new preparer, bring copies of your federal and state returns for at least the last three years.

Step 3. Assemble all of your income statements, including W-2s and 1099s. Review them for accuracy. Is the amount your W-2 says you earned correct? Does your 1099-R show the proper code for disability as the reason for your retirement plan withdrawal? Your preparer will usually only check for obvious errors, such as the correctness of your Social Security number on the form.

Step 4. Assemble all of your records for deductible expenses. Group receipts and canceled checks in categories that mirror the entries on a tax form, keeping all of your medical receipts, tax payments, interest statements, and charitable contribution records, etc, together.

Step 6. Think about life-changing events since your last return was filed, even if you're not sure they affect tax status. For example, think about divorce, births, adoptions, deaths in family, children who left or returned, etc. A good preparer will usually start interviewing you by asking "what's new since last year?" This question is not just trying to get the latest gossip. Instead, it's the preparer trying to get you to open up on any material changes that may affect your tax situation.

Step 7. Become knowledgeable enough about your tax situation to ask relevant questions.
Reading through the tax material on our website helps provide a basic knowledge base for asking pertinent questions.

Step 8. Assess your own tax temperament regarding judgment calls so you'll have a background on which to make decisions. Are you willing to push the envelope and possibly owe more taxes later? Are you conservative and don't want to take any risks at all even though they are legal?


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