Tax preparation is easier when your records tell the full story of your work. If you earned freelance, contractor, or gig income, use this checklist to organize the information your tax professional may need.
Start with all of your income
Gather every income form you received, including Forms 1099-NEC, 1099-K, or 1099-MISC. Then compare those forms with your own payment records, bank deposits, invoices, and platform reports.
The IRS explains that gig income can be taxable even when it is part-time, paid in cash or property, or not reported to you on an information return. A missing 1099 does not automatically mean the income can be left off your return. Review the IRS Gig Economy Tax Center for the current federal guidance.
Organize business expenses by category
Potential business expenses depend on what you do and how each purchase was used. Useful records may include:
- Advertising and marketing costs
- Business insurance and professional fees
- Supplies, software, and equipment
- Phone and internet records showing business use
- Vehicle mileage logs or other transportation records
- Travel and meal documentation with the business purpose
- Home-office information when a space may qualify
Do not rely on a bank statement alone when a receipt, invoice, mileage log, or note about business purpose is needed to support the expense.
Bring last year's return and payment history
Your prior-year federal and state returns provide a useful baseline. Also gather records of estimated tax payments, extension payments, and any tax notices you received. If you made payments online, download the confirmation history instead of working from memory.
Separate questions from missing documents
Make one list of questions for your preparer and a separate list of documents you still need. That small distinction makes it much easier to see when your file is actually complete.
A well-organized file does more than save time—it helps your preparer identify gaps before filing.
When you are ready, INTELLIX Tax LLC provides a secure Intuit Link portal for sharing sensitive documents. Do not email Social Security numbers or tax forms through regular email.