What We Need

A copy of last year's return. This should contain your personal information such as names, Social Security numbers, address, etc. We will also need the date of birth for everyone listed on the return (yourself, spouse, dependents, etc), and phone numbers and email. If anything from the prior return has changed, such as your address, please let us know what address you want to use. If you are using a forwarding address in the US, some states (such as Texas, from Mail Boxes or Handy Mail) are much easier than others. If you are permanently living in Mexico, you don’t need to be paying state income taxes to your former state! If you have a forwarding address to a friend in California, for example, this can cause problems with the state wanting you to pay taxes there. We can discuss these issues. If you just moved to Mexico this year, please give us the date of your move.

All “official” paperwork received by you, such as W-2s, 1099s, from banks, social security, pensions, IRA withdrawals, employers, K-1s, Constancias, etc. We don’t have to have the actual originals, but we do need a copy or fax of the originals. All of these can be sent securely to us using our Citrix file sharing site with bank level security, please do not send as e-mail attachments. If you need to send something via email ask us for a secure link and we will send to you for secure file uploading. This is very easy to use and critical for data security.

All brokerage statements, NOT the 12/31 statement, but the one labeled “Important Tax Information” which will contain your official 1099s. If you have sales of investments (shown on a 1099-B), there will be a number for “Gross Proceeds from Sales”. We also need a statement showing the gains and losses for investments. Some brokers include this with this statement; others do not and you have to ask them for it separately. Also keep in mind if you have invested in partnerships through your broker they do not automatically send you K-1s for those investments you will need to track them down separately.

A copy of a US check (write VOID over it) so we can get routing and account numbers for direct deposit of a refund or direct IRS payment. It is NOT advisable to have a refund check mailed to you in Mexico, they frequently go missing. If you need to pay estimated taxes, we must set it up electronically at the time of your return preparation, or you will later have to go online yourself to make electronic payments.

If you have a rental property, we will need the information from the prior year as to address, etc. Please make sure you have a depreciation schedule for an existing rental property. If not, ask your previous accountant to provide one. If we are setting up a rental for the first time, we have a list of questions to ask for more details.

Deductions: Many people overseas use the Standard Deduction because they are no longer paying mortgage interest, real estate or state income taxes, and do not meet the level for itemizing deductions. This will be even more common with the Tax reform for 2018. However, if you do have enough deductions to itemize, we will need the 1098 form for mortgage interest and taxes, and a list of other deductions, such as medical expenses, charity, etc.