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Tax organizer

The changes from this year and the forms a return is prepared from, in the order a preparer works through them.

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Tax organizer

This year’s changes and the forms a return is prepared from.

This year

  • Filing status

    Choose one

    • Single
    • Married filing jointly
    • Married filing separately
    • Head of household
    • Qualifying surviving spouse

  • Did any of this happen this year?

    Choose any that apply

    • Married, divorced or widowed
    • A new child or dependent
    • Bought or sold a home
    • Started, changed or lost a job
    • Started a business or side income
    • Sold stocks, crypto or other investments
    • Moved to another state
    • None of these

  • Tell us more about anything you ticked

    A few sentences

Income

  • Your W-2s

    Document upload

    One from each employer you worked for this year.

  • Your 1099s

    Document upload

    Interest, dividends, brokerage, retirement distributions and freelance work.

  • Any K-1s from a partnership, S corporation or trust

    Document upload

Deductions and payments

  • Your mortgage interest statement (Form 1098)

    Document upload

  • Receipts for charitable gifts

    Document upload

  • Records of estimated tax payments you made

    Document upload

  • Anything else you think we should see

    Document upload

Who uses it

When to send it

CPAs, enrolled agents and tax preparers send an organizer to every returning client at the start of the season. It asks first what changed, because a new dependent, a home sale or a new business changes which forms you need.

Then it asks for the forms themselves: wage and income statements, any K-1s, the mortgage interest statement, charitable receipts and records of estimated payments.

Tips

Getting it back complete

  • Send organizers in January, before the forms arrive, so clients know what to watch their mail for.
  • Ask for every 1099, not just the ones the client thinks matter. Brokerage and bank 1099s are the ones most often missed.
  • Ask “did any of this happen this year?” with a list of life events. It surfaces the questions you would otherwise ask in April.
  • Give K-1s their own request. They arrive late, and a separate item makes it plain what is still outstanding.
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