Tax Document Checklist for Clients in the US and Canada

Every tax season starts the same way: a long list of slips, receipts and statements, and clients who are not sure which ones matter. A clear checklist saves both sides a lot of time. It tells the client exactly what to look for, and it gives the preparer a way to see at a glance what is still outstanding.

This checklist covers the most common documents for individual returns in the United States and Canada. It is written for accountants, bookkeepers and tax preparers who want a starting point for their client requests. Every client is different, so treat this as a base list and add or remove items based on each person's situation.

This is general information, not tax advice. Forms and rules change, so check current IRS and CRA guidance or with a qualified tax professional before relying on any item here.

US and Canadian slips side by side

Many firms serve clients on both sides of the border, or clients who move. This table maps common income and deduction documents across the two systems. The forms are not exact equivalents, but they are where the same kind of information usually shows up.

What it covers	United States (IRS)	Canada (CRA)
Employment income	W-2	T4
Self-employment or contract income	1099-NEC	T4A (some cases), plus the client's own records
Interest income	1099-INT	T5
Dividends	1099-DIV	T5, T3
Investment sales	1099-B	T5008
Retirement plan withdrawals	1099-R	T4RSP, T4RIF
Government pension	SSA-1099	T4A(P), T4A(OAS)
Unemployment benefits	1099-G	T4E
Partnership or trust income	Schedule K-1	T3, T5013
Retirement contributions	Form 5498	RRSP contribution receipts
Tuition	1098-T	T2202
Mortgage interest	1098	Not generally deductible for a personal home
Student loan interest	1098-E	Interest statement from the lender
Health coverage	1095-A, 1095-B, 1095-C	Not applicable
Prior-year assessment	Prior-year return	Notice of Assessment

What accountants should ask for: the core list

These items apply to most individual clients. Put them at the top of every request.

Identity and basics

• Government-issued photo ID (for new clients or identity verification)
• Social Security numbers or ITINs for the client, spouse and dependents (US), or Social Insurance Numbers (Canada)
• Dates of birth for dependents
• Prior-year return (new clients) or Notice of Assessment (Canada)
• Bank account and routing or transit numbers for direct deposit of refunds
• Any letters received from the IRS, a state, CRA or a province during the year

Income

• All employment slips (W-2 or T4)
• Contract and gig income slips (1099-NEC, 1099-K, T4A)
• Interest, dividend and investment slips (1099-INT, 1099-DIV, 1099-B, T5, T3, T5008)
• Retirement and pension income slips (1099-R, SSA-1099, T4RSP, T4RIF, T4A(P), T4A(OAS))
• Unemployment or government benefit slips (1099-G, T4E)
• Rental income and expense summary, if they own rental property
• Records of any foreign income or accounts

Deductions and credits

• Retirement contributions (Form 5498, RRSP receipts, and FHSA slips where relevant in Canada)
• Tuition slips (1098-T, T2202)
• Mortgage interest (1098) and property tax statements (US)
• Charitable donation receipts
• Medical expense receipts, if the client may qualify
• Childcare expense receipts with the provider's name and tax ID or SIN, where required
• Health coverage forms (1095 series, US)

Situational items worth asking about

Rather than asking everyone for everything, use questions to decide what to request. A few yes or no questions at the top of your organizer can trim the list for most clients.

Ask this question	If yes, request
Did you start, sell or close a business?	Income and expense records, sales documents
Did you buy or sell a home?	Closing statement, mortgage documents
Did you work from home?	Home office square footage, utility totals
Did you have a baby, marry or divorce?	Dates, relevant documents
Did you move for work?	Moving receipts and dates (where deductible)
Did you sell stocks, crypto or other assets?	Brokerage and exchange statements, cost basis
Did you receive a letter from a tax agency?	A copy of every page
Did you pay estimated or installment taxes?	Dates and amounts paid

Asking questions this way is faster for the client and gives you better information. "No" is a useful answer too.

Tips for a better tax organizer

A tax organizer is only useful if clients actually fill it in. These habits help.

Keep it short. Send the core list plus only the situational items that apply. A 30-page organizer intimidates people into doing nothing.

Use the client's words. "The form your employer sends in January" is clearer to many clients than "W-2." Use both.

Set a date that leaves you room. If your internal deadline is March 31, ask for documents by early March. Explain why.

Say how many pages you need. "Every page of the 1099-B, including the supplemental pages" saves you a second request.

Ask for last year's surprises. If a client forgot a slip last year, mention it by name this year.

Accept phone photos. Most clients do not own a scanner. A clear photo with all four corners visible is usually fine.

Start early and remind on a schedule. Slips trickle in through January and February in the US and through February and March in Canada. A 30-day reminder schedule works well. See our reminder schedule guide for an example.

A copy-ready intro for your organizer email

Hi [First name],

It's that time again. To prepare your [year] return, please send the documents below by [date]. Most slips arrive by mail or in your online accounts in [January / February].

If you are not sure whether something applies to you, answer the short questions at the top and we will tell you what we need.

Upload everything here, no account needed: [link]

Thanks, [Your name]

For more wording, including reminders and fixes for wrong documents, see our document request email templates.

Handling sensitive tax documents

Tax documents carry Social Security or Social Insurance numbers, income and bank details. Avoid collecting them through regular email attachments or text messages where possible. Use a private upload link with encryption in transit, and delete the copies you do not need once the return is filed (subject to your own professional record-keeping rules). Our post on secure ways to receive sensitive documents covers this in more detail.

Running tax season with Tangentflow

Tangentflow lets you turn this checklist into a reusable request with file items and yes or no questions. Clients get a private link that works on a phone with no account. AI checks each upload in seconds, so a client who uploads last year's W-2 or a T4 missing a page finds out before leaving the page.

With bulk requests, you can upload a spreadsheet of up to 100 clients, schedule the send, set per-client due dates and track who still owes you what. The AI collection agent handles reminders and answers routine questions by email. You can also mark sensitive items, such as IDs, to be excluded from AI. Learn more on our accounting and tax page.

FAQ

What documents does a client need to give their accountant for taxes?

Typically employment slips (W-2 or T4), investment and interest slips, retirement slips, deduction receipts such as donations and tuition, prior-year return or Notice of Assessment, and any letters from tax agencies. The exact list depends on the client's situation.

What is the Canadian equivalent of a W-2?

The T4 is the closest equivalent. It reports employment income and deductions such as CPP or QPP contributions, EI premiums and income tax withheld.

When should accountants send tax organizers to clients?

Many firms send them in January so clients can gather slips as they arrive. Set a due date a few weeks before your internal deadline to leave time for missing or incorrect documents.

How should clients send tax documents securely?

Use a private upload link with encryption in transit rather than regular email or text. Check with your professional body for any specific data protection requirements that apply to your practice.