Here is a list of common documents and information required to prepare tax returns:

1. Personal Information: Your name, date of birth, Social Security number, and home address.
2. Income Statements: W-2s from your employer(s), 1099-G forms for unemployment income and state or local tax refunds, 1099-INT, 1099-DIV, and 1099-B for interest, dividends, and stock sales, 1099-R and SSA-1099 for retirement plan distributions and Social Security benefits, 1099-S for income from the sale of your residence or other property, 1099-MISC for income from a rental property, 1099-Q for distributions from a 529 plan or Coverdell ESA, 1099-SA for distributions from a health saving account (HSA), and Schedule K-1 for income from a pass-through business, trust, or estate.
3. Deductions: Mortgage interest statements, property tax statements, charitable donation receipts, medical expense receipts, and education expense receipts.
4. Self-Employment and Business Records: 1099-NEC or 1099-K showing income earned as an independent contractor, records of business expenses, and records of any transactions involving cryptocurrency.
5. Dependent Information: Dependents’ name (as it appears on their Social Security card), dates of birth, and Social Security numbers (or tax ID numbers), and Form 8332 if your dependent child’s custodial parent is releasing their right to claim the child as a dependent.

This is not an exhaustive list, but it should give you a good idea of what documents and information we’ll need to prepare your tax returns.

If you aren’t sure if a document or form will be needed, upload it anyway to your secure document sharing folder. Better safe than sorry.

If You Are New Tax Client to MKA, Begin With Step #1 Below

STEP #1 – ENGAGEMENT AGREEMENT FOR ALL TAX SERVICES

• (Use this link to access and open the document) Engagement Agreement for Tax Services
  • Required for all new tax clients (businesses and individual tax clients use this form)
  • No need to print. Just complete the form online and click on the SUBMIT button.
  • No payment for services is required until the tax returns are completed.

STEP #2 – WAIT FOR AN EMAIL WELCOME NOTE AND ACCESS TO A SECURE DOCUMENT SHARING PORTAL

• You will receive an email welcome letter and instructions for using the Secure Document Sharing Portal set up for your convenience.
• You will use this portal to upload all of the tax-related documents and materials that will be needed to prepare your tax returns.
• Never send confidential documents or information by email attachment. 

STEP #3 – SECURE DOCUMENT SHARING PORTAL

• Use this link to access the Secure Document Sharing File
• You will receive notice from the firm by email when your permanent client portal is set up.
  
• You will be prompted to set up a secure and unique password
• Reminder: All new clients must upload a photo ID and a copy of the prior year’s tax returns
  
• For your protection: Never send confidential documents by email to the firm
  
• Be sure to upload your tax documents into the correct folder in the secure portal (example: 2023 tax documents should be uploaded into the folder labeled 2023)
  
• Copies of all information that you provide to MKA along with copies of all tax documents prepared by MKA are available to our clients 24/7. You may access and print any document at your convenience.
  
• Important: Only clearly scanned documents should be uploaded to the document portal. Never upload screen prints or photos of tax documents or financial reports.

STEP #4 – TAX ORGANIZER QUESTIONNAIRE (For New/First Time MKA Tax Clients)

RETURNING MKA TAX CLIENTS WILL HAVE A PRE-POPULATED TAX ORGANIZER UPLOADED TO THE SECURE DOCUMENT SHARING PORTAL EACH YEAR AROUND THE FIRST WEEK IN JANUARY.

• Use this link to access and open the Tax Organizer Questionnaire for All INDIVIDUAL/FAMILY Tax Services
  • Use this form if you are required to file IRS Form 1040 and/or IRS Form 1040 with a Schedule C
    
  • MKA is unable to prepare tax returns without a completed organizer form
    
  • If you are unsure about the answer to any question, indicate “unsure”
    
  • If a question does not apply to your situation, skip or write “NA”
    
  • There is space on the organizer form for you to write notes and comments for your tax preparer

• Use this link to access and open the Annual Tax Organizer for Business Tax Services
  • Use this form if you are required to file IRS Form 1065 and/or IRS Form 1120S.
    
  • MKA is unable to prepare tax returns without a completed organizer form
    
  • If you are unsure about the answer to any question, indicate “unsure”
    
  • If a question does not apply to your situation, skip or write “NA”
    
  • There is space on the organizer form for you to write notes and comments for your tax preparer

STEP #5 – CLIENT’S AUTHORIZATION TO SCHEDULE & PREPARE TAX RETURNS

1. Only sign this form AFTER you have uploaded all tax-related documents and materials that will be needed to prepare your tax returns
2. If your tax return is due on or around March 15th and you sign this form after February 28th, MKA will request a six month filing extension for you at no cost. 
3. If your tax return is due on or around April 15th and you sign this form after March 31st, MKA will request a six month filing extension for you at no cost.
4. Tax returns are scheduled to be prepared on a FIFO (first in, first out) system. If your returns are put on filing extension, they will be scheduled to be worked on at the earliest possible opportunity but after the posted filing date. 

• Client’s Authorization to Schedule & Prepare Tax Returns 
  • PLEASE check carefully to be sure that ALL tax-related documents that will be needed to prepare your returns have been uploaded. Additional charges may be added to your service invoice if it becomes necessary to work on your returns multiple times because of missing or incomplete information.
    
  • IMPORTANT – DO NOT SIGN OR SUBMIT THIS FORM UNTIL YOU HAVE UPLOADED ALL TAX RELATED MATERIALS THAT WILL BE NEEDED TO PREPARE YOUR RETURNS. IF YOU SIGN AND SUBMIT THIS FORM PREMATURLY, PREPARATION OF YOUR RETURNS WILL BE DELAYED AND/OR ERRORS ON YOUR RETURNS MIGHT BE MADE USING INCORRECT OR INCOMPLETE INFORMATION TO PREPARE THEM.
  • All Clients must complete this form AFTER they have uploaded all tax documents and information that the firm will need to prepare BUSINESS and/or PERSONAL / FAMILY tax returns.
  • This form is required. So that we can streamline the process of preparing tax returns for our clients and promote efficiency, MKA will not schedule tax returns to be prepared until our clients assure us that everything that might be needed by the tax preparer is uploaded to the Secure Document Sharing Folder.

STEP #6 – WAIT FOR AN EMAIL CONFIRMING THE DATE YOUR RETURNS ARE SCHEDULED TO BE PREPARED

• After completing Step #5 above, you will receive an email with information about the date your returns have been scheduled on the work calendar to be prepared by our staff.
  
• You will be contacted by phone or email with any questions or concerns that we have while preparing your tax returns
  
• Once DRAFT copies of your tax returns have been prepared, they will be uploaded to your secure document sharing portal for your review. You will be notified by an email when the DRAFT returns are available.
  
• Carefully review your tax returns. We are happy to make any adjustments or changes to those draft returns that might be required based upon information that you provide to our firm. Never sign tax returns without carefully reviewing them.

STEP #7 – SIGN YOUR TAX RETURNS SO THAT WE CAN ELECTRONICALLY FILE THEM

• After you have reviewed and approved your tax returns, you will receive notice from MKA by email that your signatures are needed to file the returns. Your electronic signature on the tax returns is all that is required and you will be prompted regarding each signature or initials needed.The process is designed to be simple and user friendly.
  
• Copies of everything will be saved into your secure document sharing portal and will be available to you 24/7.
  
• If you owe tax dollars, instructions for you to follow and pay those taxes will be provided to you.
  
• If you are scheduled to receive a refund, it will be sent to you by the IRS and/or State by direct deposit into your bank account of choice
  
• Your credit card will be charged after you sign the tax documents and before your returns are electronically filed by MKA

If You Are Returning Tax Client to MKA, Begin With Step #1 Below

STEP #1 – TAX ORGANIZER QUESTIONNAIRE

• Each January, MKA uploads a pre-populated tax organizer questionnaire for all returning tax clients.
• All returning clients will be notified by email when tax organizers are ready for review and signature.
• Complete this form as soon as possible. MKA cannot prepare tax returns without a completed form.

STEP #2 – SECURE DOCUMENT SHARING FILE

• Use this link to access the Secure Document Sharing File
• Upload all of your tax related documents at your earliest opportunity
• Important: Only clearly scanned documents should be uploaded to the document portal. Never upload screen prints or photos of tax documents or financial reports.

STEP #3 – CLIENT’S AUTHORIZATION TO SCHEDULE & PREPARE TAX RETURNS

• Client’s Authorization to Schedule & Prepare Tax Returns 
  • PLEASE check carefully to be sure that ALL tax-related documents that will be needed to prepare your returns have been uploaded. Additional charges may be added to your service invoice if it becomes necessary to work on your returns multiple times because of missing or incomplete information.
    
    
  • IMPORTANT – DO NOT SIGN OR SUBMIT THIS FORM UNTIL YOU HAVE UPLOADED ALL TAX RELATED MATERIALS THAT WILL BE NEEDED TO PREPARE YOUR RETURNS. IF YOU SIGN AND SUBMIT THIS FORM PREMATURLY, PREPARATION OF YOUR RETURNS WILL BE DELAYED AND/OR ERRORS ON YOUR RETURNS MIGHT BE MADE USING INCORRECT OR INCOMPLETE INFORMATION TO PREPARE THEM.
    
    
  • All Clients must complete this form AFTER they have uploaded all tax documents and information that the firm will need to prepare BUSINESS and/or PERSONAL / FAMILY tax returns.
    
    
  • This form is required. So that we can streamline the process of preparing tax returns for our clients and promote efficiency, MKA will not schedule tax returns to be prepared until our clients assure us that everything that might be needed by the tax preparer is uploaded to the Secure Document Sharing Folder.

• MKA Quarterly Estimated Tax Services Agreement 

• Request For Form 1099 – NEC Services 
  • Form 1099-NEC is a tax document used to report non-employee compensation paid by a business or trade to an individual or partnership.
  • Form 1099 -NEC must be prepared and provided by January 31 each year to anyone that you or your business may have paid more than $600 to if they are self-employed, a freelancer, contractor or work a side gig job.
  • Form W9 should be completed by anyone that you employ as a contractor or gig worker. MKA will require a copy of all W9 forms to prepare and file Form 1099-NEC on your behalf.

FREE SIX-MONTH FILING EXTENSION REQUEST – BUSINESS RETURNS

• Client Request for Six Month Filing Extension – BUSINESS RETURNS
  • Required only for all BUSINESS tax clients who need a filing extension (New clients & Returning clients)

FREE SIX-MONTH FILING EXTENSION REQUEST – PERSONAL/FAMILY RETURNS

• Client Request for Six Month Filing Extension – PERSONAL RETURNS
  • Required only for all PERSONAL/FAMILY tax clients who need a filing extension (New clients & Returning clients)