Well tax season has begun and its off to a very rocky start.
While the powers that be have voted and passed the new tax season updates with what is allowable and not allowable, they still left professional tax preparers and the American public hanging in the wind. Lets face it the simple tax returns are just that, no changes and you can file them out fine. Whereas the slightly to more complicated tax returns now have 6 more pages and a lot more questions for review. While the excitement for small business credits on 199A (QBI) is there but of course this is one of many forms are not allowable yet.
Here is just a short list of un-fillable but printable forms:
- SCH’s A, B, C, D, E, and F
- New SCH’s 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 (new forms)
- 2210, 2441
And crazy enough the form 8867 preparers due diligence check list. So there for the entire tax return is not fileable.
So while congress continues the fight over a “Wall” the tax professionals and the American Public want a release of all the tax forms they imposed on us for tax year 2018 and a appeal to form 2106 were many trades have union dues and travel expenses that are not reimbursed by an employer. A good example of this would be our Electrical Lineman, they risk their lives traveling to disaster zones to restore power to the much needed. The apprentice lineman signs a contract with the under standing that the workers union help place them with companies who will pay good wages and retirement account but all cost will be own their own. But they always been able to claim these cost on the tax return, now they cannot since they are not a state or local government official, qualifying performing artist or armed forces.
My office receives so many calls a day to what to bring for a tax appointment. My answer is the usual and send them current tax planners. I remind them some of the laws may or may not change. We had this last year where you could not deduct mortgage insurance premiums and there was a vote in congress putting it back in almost a month after tax season started.
Our response was to call each client and file amended returns free of charge. SO the bottom line is nothing is written in stone yet.
Here is a listing of some items (if they apply) to bring for your tax appointment:
- Drivers license or a passport
- Social Security Cards or ITIN papers for all listed on return
- Children school or medical records.
- W-2’s
- 1099’s (misc, B, Int, Retirement)
- Spreadsheets for expenses
- Copy of your Quickbooks
- Profit & Loss statement
- Balance Sheets
- Rental information
- Closing statements on sale or purchase of real property
- 1031 forms for exchange properties (noting limited )
In general contact your tax professional they can send you a tax preparation packet listing all the items you had last year and spaces to add all the new items.
