What this checklist covers
The sheet lists the forms and records the IRS names on its Gather your documents page, plus a few more from Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax, such as Schedule K-1, Form RRB-1099 and Form 1099-DA. It is for a US federal individual return. It is a checklist, not tax advice: it does not say what you have to report or what you can deduct, and a state return may need more. For the forms and filing dates of the year you file for, see IRS.gov.
Most people need only a handful of the rows. Go through the list once, tick N/A for everything that does not apply to you, and you are left with a short list of what to collect.
Setting up the sheet
- Pick the tax year. It defaults to the year that just ended and prints at the top of every page.
- Turn off sections that clearly do not apply to you. When you are not sure, keep the section and tick N/A on the rows you do not need; a skipped row is easy to miss later.
- Add your own rows for papers that are specific to you, such as a state form or a letter you were told to keep. Empty rows at the end leave room for things you remember later.
- Choose the paper and a color, check the page count under the preview and download the PDF.
Working through the income forms
According to the IRS, people and organizations that paid you send these forms electronically or by mail in January or February. Tick Got it when a form is in your folder, and use From / notes to write who sends it: the employer for a Form W-2, the bank for a Form 1099-INT, the broker for a Form 1099-B. A row with a name but no tick is your reminder to look in your online accounts or to ask the payer. Each About Form page on IRS.gov explains who files the form, for example Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, Form 1099-NEC and Form 1099-K. Our guide how to read your W-2 walks through every box once the form arrives.
The paycheck calculator shows how your pay splits into taxes and take-home pay, which helps you see whether the numbers on your W-2 look about right. If you sold shares or other investments, the capital gains tax calculator estimates the federal tax on a sale, short term or long term, so the Form 1099-B is no surprise.
Deductions, credits and your own records
Unlike the forms that arrive by mail, many rows in these sections are your own records: donation receipts, property tax bills, childcare payments, mileage logs. For childcare, Publication 503 asks for the care provider's name, address and taxpayer identification number, and Form W-10 is one way to ask the provider for them. Keeping these records during the year is easier than finding them in spring; the printable donation tracker and the mileage log collect them as they happen.
To get a rough idea of the result before you file, the income tax calculator estimates federal income tax by filing status, with the tax in each bracket and your effective rate.
Keeping the sheet and the papers safe
The checklist has no spaces for Social Security numbers or account numbers on purpose. Write where a document is, not what is on it, and keep the papers in one folder in a drawer that locks. Last year's adjusted gross income and refund amount are on the list because the IRS names them among the documents to gather, and Publication 17 explains that the prior-year AGI can be part of signing an e-filed return. If you cannot find your copy, our guide on how to get an IRS tax transcript explains the options. After you file, put the checklist in the same folder as the return, so next year starts with a list of who sent what. How long to keep each paper is covered in how long to keep tax records, and our list of free tax filing options shows ways to file without paying for software.
Frequently asked questions
Is the tax document checklist free?
Yes. Download it, print it every year and share it with your household. There is no signup and no watermark; one small line at the bottom of each page names our website.
Is this tax advice?
No. It is a checklist to help you gather documents before you or a preparer fill in a US federal return. It does not tell you what to report, what you can deduct or which credits you qualify for. For that, see the IRS instructions for your forms, Publication 17 or a tax professional. A state return may need more documents than this list.
Where do the form names come from?
Every form and document on the sheet comes from an IRS page: the Gather your documents page, Publication 17 and the About Form pages for each form. The guide on this page links each of those pages, so you can read what a form is for before you tick it off.
Why is there no space for my Social Security number?
On purpose. The sheet lists what to gather, not the numbers themselves, so it is safe to leave on a desk or to hand to someone who helps you. Keep the cards and statements with the numbers in a locked drawer or folder, and write only where to find them in the From / notes column.
Does the checklist change for each tax year?
You pick the tax year, and it prints at the top of every page. The list of documents is the same for each year. Forms are added or changed from time to time, so check IRS.gov for the forms and filing dates of the year you file for.
Why are some characters missing from my own rows?
The PDF uses the standard Helvetica font, which covers English and most Western European letters, but no emoji and no other scripts such as Greek, Cyrillic or Chinese. Those characters are left out, a few rare accented letters lose the accent, and a note under the field tells you when that happens. The preview shows the text exactly as it will print.