What happened last week in Paris was a horror show for those of us living in an ostensibly free society. Outrage, shock, argument — all of these things have been roiling through the last week, as we’ve watched. I’m sure you felt similar.

And, well, life has a tendency to keep on pulling us along, even as we attempt to process such things.

Soon, we will begin filing client tax returns to the IRS (electronically), and our offices will be jumping. There is a lot of change this year, and probably more than a little confusion among some tax offices because of the ACA this year. But we’ve been preparing for this for over 7 months now … and we’re pretty excited to see the fruition of our labors!

As well, we want to “seal the deal” on a variety of tax-saving maneuvers to which we’ve directed clients over the past year. In short, this is really fun for us here at R. Menden Accounting & Tax Service.

But with the ACA, and all of the changes every year, filing your taxes on your own is becoming much less fun for regular taxpayers — even with nice-looking softwares on the market which purport to make it “easy” for you.

I truly do pity those inexperienced ones who try to muddle through all of the different codes and forms on their own,without devoting even a week’s labor to the transaction. It really doesn’t pay to “go it alone” for certain tasks.

So, for those of you who want our help, I’ve put together a handy little list of what you’ll need to bring in. There may be certain situations where we’ll need other documentation to get you even more deductions. But, of course, we’ll let you know about that, should the situation arise.

Let me know your thoughts … and of course, if you’d like to talk this over with us, we’re here for you!

Menden’s 2015 Tax Time Document Chase List
“If you realize that all things change, there is nothing you will try to hold on to… there is nothing you cannot achieve.” -Lao Tzu

Yes, this is a long list — but it’s the unfortunate reality of our tax code that it’s not even comprehensive! But these items will cover 95% of our clients. Really, this is for ensuring that we’re able to help you keep every dollar you can keep under our tax code.

Even if for some strange reason you won’t be using our cost-effective services this year, feel free to use this list as a handy guide…

Personal Data
Social Security Numbers (including spouse and children)
Child care provider tax I.D. or Social Security Number

Employment & Income Data
W-2 forms for this year
Tax refunds and unemployment compensation: Form 1099-G
Miscellaneous income including rent: Form 1099-MISC
Partnership and trust income
Pensions and annuities
Alimony received
Jury duty pay
Gambling and lottery winnings
Prizes and awards
Scholarships and fellowships
State and local income tax refunds
Unemployment compensation

Health Insurance Information (New for 2015)
* All 1095-A Forms from marketplace providers (if you purchased insurance through a Marketplace)
* Existing plan information (policy numbers, etc.)
* If claiming an exemption, your unique Exemption Certificate Number
* Records of credits and/or advance payments received from the Premium Tax Credit (if claiming)

Homeowner/Renter Data
Residential address(es) for this year
Mortgage interest: Form 1098
Sale of your home or other real estate: Form 1099-S
Second mortgage interest paid
Real estate taxes paid
Rent paid during tax year
Moving expenses

Financial Assets
Interest income statements: Form 1099-INT & 1099-OID
Dividend income statements: Form 1099-DIV
Proceeds from broker transactions: Form 1099-B
Retirement plan distribution: Form 1099-R
Capital gains or losses

Financial Liabilities
Auto loans and leases (account numbers and car value) if vehicle used for business
Student loan interest paid
Early withdrawal penalties on CDs and other fixed time deposits

Automobiles
Personal property tax information
Department of Motor Vehicles fees

Expenses
Gifts to charity (receipts for any single donations of $250 or more)
Unreimbursed expenses related to volunteer work
Unreimbursed expenses related to your job (travel expenses, entertainment, uniforms, union dues, subscriptions)
Investment expenses
Job-hunting expenses
Education expenses (tuition and fees)
Child care expenses
Medical Savings Accounts
Adoption expenses
Alimony paid
Tax return preparation expenses and fees

Self-Employment Data
Estimated tax vouchers for the current year
Self-employment tax
Self-employment SEP plans
Self-employed health insurance
K-1s on all partnerships
Receipts or documentation for business-related expenses
Farm income

Deduction Documents
State and local income taxes
IRA, Keogh and other retirement plan contributions
Medical expenses
Casualty or theft losses
Other miscellaneous deductions

We hope this helps, and we really look forward to seeing you in here in 2015!

Warmly,

Roger Menden
952-445-8753
R. Menden Accounting & Tax Service