Tax document checklist generator
Answer a few yes/no questions and get a printable list of the documents to gather for your 2026 tax return, with the date each one usually arrives.
Household Tax Document Checklist 2027
Track each form as it arrives, where you keep it and what's late, with a family summary.
Also in the Big Life Plans 2027 Bundle (US$ 24).
How the list is built
Always: photo IDs, Social Security numbers, last year's return and bank details for a refund. One W-2 per job (including a dependent's job). Then one or two documents for each yes: interest → 1099-INT; brokerage → 1099-DIV/1099-B; side income → 1099-NEC/1099-K; mortgage → 1098 and the property tax bill; college → 1098-T and receipts; HSA → 1099-SA and 5498-SA. Example: two adults with one job each, a dependent with a job, interest, brokerage, side income, mortgage, student loan, college, 529, childcare, HSA and donations = 20 documents. No tax is calculated.
When do W-2s and 1099s arrive?
Employers and most payers must send them by January 31. In 2027 that is a Sunday, so the date moves to Monday, February 1. Brokerage 1099s often come mid-February.
Do I need to wait for the 5498-SA to file?
No. It shows HSA contributions and usually arrives by the end of May; you can file before it arrives using your own records.
What if a form never arrives?
Ask the payer or check their online portal. Income is taxable even without a form, so keep your own records.
Organizer, not tax advice. Not affiliated with the IRS. Don't enter Social Security or account numbers. Examples use made-up numbers.