Free template
Personal tax document checklist for your clients
The slips, receipts and statements to ask personal tax clients for, in one list you can copy, print or send. Canada and the US side by side.
This is a general starting point, not tax advice. Every client is different: trim what doesn't apply and add what does.
1. Everyone
- Signed engagement letter for this tax year
- Last year's return, and in Canada the Notice of Assessment
- Changes since last year: address, marital status, dependents, bank account for refunds
- Government ID and SIN (Canada) or SSN / ITIN (US) for anyone new on the return
2. Income slips
Canada
- T4 employment income
- T4A pension, retirement and other income
- T4E Employment Insurance benefits
- T5 investment income, T3 trust income
- T5008 securities sold
- T4RSP / T4RIF RRSP or RRIF withdrawals
United States
- W-2 wages
- 1099-NEC / 1099-MISC contract and other income
- 1099-INT / 1099-DIV interest and dividends
- 1099-B brokerage sales
- 1099-R retirement distributions, SSA-1099 Social Security
- 1099-G unemployment or state refunds
3. Deductions and credits
Canada
- RRSP contribution receipts (including the first 60 days of the year)
- Charitable donation receipts
- Medical expense receipts
- Childcare receipts with the provider's details
- T2202 tuition
- Moving expenses, if they moved for work or school
United States
- 1098 mortgage interest, and property tax statements
- Charitable donation receipts
- 1098-T tuition, 1098-E student loan interest
- Childcare expenses with the provider's tax ID
- 5498 / IRA contribution records, HSA forms
- 1095-A, if they bought health insurance on the Marketplace
4. Self-employed or rental income
- Income records: invoices, platform statements, payment reports
- Expense receipts, grouped by category if possible
- Bank and credit card statements for the business accounts
- Home office: the share of the home used for work, and the home costs
- Vehicle log: business kilometres or miles, and vehicle expenses
- Rental: rent received, mortgage interest, property tax, insurance and repairs
How to use it
Send the list early, before your busy season, and ask clients to send everything in one place rather than across email, texts and photos. Tick items off as they arrive so both of you can see what's still missing.
This checklist is built into Desk FT
Pick Personal tax return when you set up a client and their desk starts with a checklist like this one. They tick items off and upload each document from their phone; you're notified as each arrives. Free for your first two clients.
