Wealth manager tax coordination
Advisor-CPA Tax Document Checklist
A practical checklist for advisors and clients who want cleaner tax preparation, better projections, and fewer missing records.
A clear tax document checklist helps advisors, clients, and CPAs coordinate before filing season. The checklist should gather tax forms, year-to-date planning records, prior-year carryovers, and documentation for any transaction that may affect the return.
Best fit
Advisory teams that want a repeatable process for tax preparation handoffs, projection requests, year-end planning, and complex client documentation.
What we help clarify
Advisor and client questions this page addresses
- Which records are needed for the CPA to prepare or project the return?
- Which forms commonly arrive late and may require an extension?
- What documents support charitable giving, basis, retirement distributions, and capital gains?
- What should advisors send without crossing into CPA tax or filing-position decisions?
Tax-prep handoff list
A repeatable record list for advisors and clients preparing for tax season.
Projection request checklist
A shorter list for year-end planning when the CPA needs assumptions before final tax forms exist.
Advisor boundaries
Guidance on sending tax facts and planning questions while keeping investment advice with the advisor.
Tax records
Information that usually matters before a filing position is reviewed
- Prior-year federal and state returns, carryover schedules, estimated payments, and notices.
- Forms W-2, 1099, 1099-B, 1099-R, 1099-INT, 1099-DIV, 1099-K, and consolidated broker statements.
- Schedule K-1 packages, supplemental statements, state details, and extension estimates.
- Charitable acknowledgments, Form 8283 details, donor-advised fund confirmations, and QCD support.
- Retirement distribution records, Form 8606 basis records, Roth conversion documents, and inherited IRA documents.
CPA coordination process
How the review typically works
- Start with the prior-year return and identify carryovers, K-1s, basis, credits, and state filings.
- Gather current-year tax forms and year-to-date advisor summaries.
- Flag planning issues that may require projection work before filing.
- Send the CPA organized records and a short description of the tax question, not investment recommendations.
Frequently asked questions
Can an advisor send planning assumptions to the CPA?
Yes. Advisors can provide client-approved assumptions and records for tax projection purposes, while investment recommendations remain with the advisor.
What is the most common reason tax preparation is delayed?
Missing Forms 1099, K-1s, basis records, charitable documentation, state information, or unclear transaction documents often delay filing.
Should every client need a tax projection?
No. Projections are most useful when income, gains, retirement distributions, business activity, or life events make the prior-year result a poor guide.
Authoritative tax references
IRS resources commonly used in this review
These IRS resources are starting points for the tax rules and forms involved. A client-specific filing position still depends on the client records and full facts.
Related advisor resources