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NYC Free Tax Prep: What You Need to File
What You Need to File
Below is a checklist of what you need to file your 2020 tax return at an NYC Free Tax Prep site.
Identification:
▢ Government-issued photo ID (includes IDNYC)
▢ Social Security cards or Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers () and birth dates for you, your spouse, and your dependents
Proof of Income:
▢ Forms W-2, 1098, 1099, or income and expense records if you are self-employed
▢ Form 1099-G if you received unemployment insurance at any point during 2020
To obtain a form, visit dol.ny.gov and search “1099-G.”
Forms may include:
- Form W-2 (wages from each job)
- Form 1099-INT (interest)
- Form 1099-DIV (dividends)
- Form 1099-R (retirement plans)
- Form W-2G (gambling winnings)
- Form SSA-1099 (Social Security benefits)
- Form 1099-MISC (miscellaneous income)
- Form 1099-K (deposits and earnings)
- Form 1099-B (sale of stock)
- Form 1098-T (scholarships and grants)
- Form 1099-C (cancellation of debt)
- Form 1098-T (tuition payments to attend a university or technical college)
- Form 1098-E (interest paid on student loans)
Other income documentation if you are self-employed may include:
- Log books showing income received and clients served
Raw estimates are not acceptable. - Copies of bank statements
Other:
▢ Documentation of business expenses if you are self-employed, including:
- Paid invoices
- Remitted checks
- Credit card charges
- Information about any home office
Raw estimates are not acceptable.
▢ Filed Forms 1040-ES (federal) and IT-2105 (New York State) showing estimated tax payments for 2020
▢ Copy of 2019 tax return or transcript (required for Assisted Self-Prep)
To request a transcript, call the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) at 1-800-908-9946 or visit irs.gov and search “Get Transcript.”
▢ Form 1095-A if you, your spouse, or dependents enrolled in a health insurance plan through the Health Plan Marketplace
▢ Payment records for child care, including the provider’s name, address, and Employer Identification Number, Taxpayer Identification Number, or Social Security number
▢ Records of cash and non-cash charitable contributions
Banking Information:
▢ Bank account and routing numbers for direct deposit of your refund
Need to open a bank account? Visit nyc.gov/safestart to find out how you can open an NYC SafeStart Account. The NYC SafeStart Account has no overdraft fees and no monthly fees if you maintain a minimum balance of $25 or even less depending on the financial institution.
Need to open a bank account? Visit nyc.gov/safestart to find out how you can open an NYC SafeStart Account. The NYC SafeStart Account has no overdraft fees and no monthly fees if you maintain a minimum balance of $25 or even less depending on the financial institution.
▢ NY 529 account, routing, and plan numbers to directly deposit all or part of your state refund into a college savings account
Did you know you now can split your NYS refund and directly deposit all or part of it into a 529 College Savings account? There's no minimum balance needed to open an account. Visit or call 1-877-NYSAVES (1-877-697-2837) to learn more and to create an account.
Did you know you now can split your NYS refund and directly deposit all or part of it into a 529 College Savings account? There's no minimum balance needed to open an account. Visit or call 1-877-NYSAVES (1-877-697-2837) to learn more and to create an account.
If you are filing a joint return, both spouses must be sign.
Updated 01/02/2020