Complete your 2025 Tax Checklist
The electronic filing season begins on Monday, January 27, 2026, and the individual tax filing deadline for 2025 taxes is April 15, 2026. Below is everything you need to know to get your personal and business tax returns organized and submitted on time.
What We Need for Individual Tax Returns
Tax Organizers
We will be sending out individual tax organizers to help you gather the necessary details for your 2025 personal tax return over the next couple of weeks. Once you receive the organizer remember to complete and return the questionnaire portion, even if you don’t use the full organizer.
If you’re a sole proprietor, single-member LLC, or landlord, please include your business information within your individual organizer. For more specific business filings (e.g., S-Corps, Partnerships), refer to the section below.
What We Need for Business Tax Returns
If you need a return for your S-Corp, C-Corp or Partnership here’s what to provide:
- Submit Our Business Questionnaire
Complete the business tax return questionnaire. This must be submitted before we can begin your return. - Estimated Tax Payments
Provide confirmations for any state and federal estimated tax payments made in 2025 and 2026 related to 2025 taxes. - Accounting Information
- QuickBooks Online Users: Contact us as soon as all 2025 transactions and reconciliations are complete. Tell us you are ready for preparation by emailing lsmith@mdlewiscpa.com. If you don’t tell us we won’t know you are ready. Please invite mlewis@mdlewiscpa.com as an Accountant User if we don’t already have access.
- QuickBooks Desktop Users: Send an Accountant’s Copy with a 1/1/2026 cutoff date along with any required username/passwords. FYI: The desktop versions are no longer supported by QuickBooks.
- Other Accounting Systems (Xero, Zoho, etc.): Notify us when your files are ready.
- No Accounting System: Download all your bank/credit account activity into a spreadsheet, categorize transactions, and provide totals for income and expenses.
- Bank Information
Provide statements for end-of-year checking, savings, and credit card accounts (including January 2026 if the cutoff date is not December 31). - Payroll & 1099s
If applicable, submit copies of:- W-2s, W-3
- Payroll tax forms (941, 940)
- 1099-NEC and 1099-MISC reports, and summaries
- Inventory (if you have it)
Include your year-end inventory valuation summary. Explain how inventory was valued (lower of cost or market). - Fixed Assets
Provide details on assets purchased (over $2,500) or sold in 2025, including:- Descriptions
- Purchase/sale dates
- Amounts, and related invoices or agreements.
- For New Vehicles,
• include gross vehicle weight and dealership documentation for potential credits.
- Descriptions
- Vehicle Expenses
For each business vehicle, provide:- Mileage for Business, personal, and commuting
- Fuel, maintenance, insurance, interest, lease, and registration expenses
- Retirement Plans
Provide details on 2025 contributions and amounts owed to plans as of December 31, 2025. Let us know if you plan to make any more 2025 profit-sharing or matching contributions. - Ownership Changes
List any ownership changes and provide updated addresses, ownership percentages, and Social Security Numbers of new owners. - Multi-State Operations
Submit a breakdown of sales, payroll, and rent by state, along with copies of sales tax returns. - Other Documents:
- IRS/states notices
- Agreements to buy/sell businesses
- Correspondence or details related to virtual currencies and their transactions.
Additional Tips for Deductions and Reporting
- Insurance Expenses: Provide totals for disability, health (owner and employee), life insurance, worker’s comp, and general business insurance.
- Meals & Entertainment: Separate totals into business meals and entertainment for accurate reporting.
Remember to:
Stay proactive—whether for individual or business tax returns—and let us know if you need any guidance.
Submit your documents through your secure portal or once you’ve gathered everything.
By staying organized, you’ll avoid unnecessary delays and maximize your tax savings this season.
Let’s work together to make tax season a stress-free success!