“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence.” – Calvin Coolidge
As you’re probably aware, the tax world has been through some major shifts since the last time you filed your taxes (mostly because of the OBBBA passing last year).
Which means you’ll need some different documents in hand at your filing appointment this year to be able to reap all the benefits.
Here’s a straightforward rundown of what you need to bring (besides all the regular documents) if any of these apply to you.
If you worked overtime as a non-exempt hourly employee: Bring year-end pay stubs or an employer summary that clearly separates regular pay from overtime pay. Your W-2 won’t show the deductible “half” portion of time-and-a-half to claim the overtime deduction yet.
If you earned tips: Bring daily tip logs, POS reports, or detailed employer summaries to claim the deduction for up to 25K of qualified tip income.
If you bought a new, domestic-assembled personal vehicle: Bring the loan statement showing total interest paid and paperwork confirming the vehicle was new and domestic-assembled to claim the 10K car loan interest deduction.
If you (or your spouse) are 65 or older: No action is actually needed here – the new 6K senior deduction (12K for joint filers) is applied automatically.
If you’re planning to itemize because of the higher SALT cap: Bring your 2025 state income tax withholding (from W-2s and 1099s), property tax bills for all real estate and vehicles (ad valorem fees), receipts for major sales-tax-heavy purchases like cars or boats, records of any 2025 estimated tax payments, and your escrow closing statements if you bought or sold a home during the year.
If you have a side gig: Bring gross receipts records. The 1099-K threshold is back to 20K and 200 transactions, so you may not receive a form for smaller side income, but you still need to report it.
If you had digital asset transactions: Bring Form 1099-DA and any records showing cost basis or wallet-to-wallet transfers.
This isn’t the full list of everything you’ll need to bring to your tax appointment. For that, I’ve got a master checklist up on my website under Resources: www.taxmaster.com
I know 2025 was a somewhat confusing year, tax-wise. Which is why I want to make sure you’re prepared to take advantage of all the changes and new benefits.
And aside from providing thorough documentation, one of the best things you can do to position yourself for those benefits is…
Get your tax appointment on my calendar early: