Bring photo identification, Social Security or ITIN records, birth dates, every wage and income statement, and last year’s returns if you have them. Add bank details for direct deposit and any documents tied to childcare, health coverage, deductions, or an ITIN application. Before traveling, confirm that the specific VITA or TCE site handles your situation and appointment type.
VITA and TCE sites provide free basic tax-return preparation to qualified individuals, but services and volunteer expertise differ by location. The IRS checklist and Publication 3676-B are the starting points; the site itself can confirm what it accepts and whether it can help with an unusual issue.
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Core documents to pack
The following records cover the information a volunteer generally needs to identify everyone on the return, enter income, and complete the filing. Bring documents for yourself, your spouse, and every dependent included on the return.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems| Document or information | Who needs it | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Original photo identification | You and your spouse | Bring one for each taxpayer; examples include a driver’s license, state ID, military ID, passport, visa, school ID, or employer ID. |
| Social Security cards | You, your spouse, and dependents | Bring the cards for everyone listed on the return. |
| ITIN documentation | Anyone without an SSN | Bring the applicable records, plus proof of foreign status when applying for an ITIN. |
| IP PIN notice | A taxpayer who received one | Bring the notice issued by the IRS. |
| Birth dates | You, your spouse, and dependents | Have each date available for the people included on the return. |
| Income statements | Anyone with reportable income | Bring every applicable W-2, W-2G, Form 1099, and Social Security benefit statement. |
| Prior-year returns | You and your spouse | Bring copies of last year’s federal and state returns if available. |
| Bank routing and account numbers | The taxpayer requesting direct deposit | A blank check is an example of supporting proof. |
| Childcare information | A taxpayer claiming applicable childcare costs | Bring the provider’s costs and tax-identifying number. |
| Health-coverage records | A taxpayer to whom they apply | Bring Form 1095-A, and Forms 1095-B or 1095-C when applicable; also bring a health-insurance exemption certificate if one was issued. |
| Deduction records | A taxpayer claiming deductions | Bring information such as charitable-contribution records. |
| Income transcripts | A taxpayer who needs them | Bring IRS or state income transcripts when applicable. |
This is a working checklist rather than a guarantee that every site can use every document. A location may ask for additional information after reviewing your circumstances, so contact it before the appointment if your return involves an issue outside a basic filing.
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Verify the site before you go
Confirm that the location serves your situation
Free preparation does not mean every VITA or TCE location handles every return. Volunteer availability and the tax-law expertise represented at a site can change what it accepts. Ask whether the site can prepare your type of return, whether an appointment is required, what identification it expects, and whether it offers an in-person or self-preparation option.
Ask specifically about ITIN help
Do not assume that a location can prepare an ITIN application or verify foreign-status documents. The IRS program information says some VITA sites offer Certifying Acceptance Agent service, while services vary by site. Tell the location that you need ITIN assistance before booking or making a long trip, and ask which documents it wants you to bring.
Check the current appointment process
Use the IRS checklist and Publication 3676-B, then call or message the chosen site for its current process. Confirm the address, appointment time, whether all taxpayers and dependents must attend, and whether the site has limits on the kinds of income or forms it handles. These questions prevent a trip with a complete folder that the location is not equipped to process.
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Prepare identity and taxpayer records
Photo identification
Bring an original photo ID for yourself and, if filing jointly, your spouse. The IRS checklist lists a driver’s license, state identification card, military identification, passport, visa, school identification, and employer identification as examples. If you are unsure whether another document is acceptable, ask the site in advance rather than relying on an assumption.
Social Security numbers and ITINs
Bring Social Security cards for you, your spouse, and each dependent claimed on the return. If someone does not have a Social Security number, bring the applicable ITIN documentation. A person applying for an ITIN should also bring proof of foreign status. If the IRS issued an Identity Protection Personal Identification Number, include the IP PIN notice so the volunteer has the current number needed for filing.
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Birth dates
Write down the birth date of every person included on the return: both taxpayers and all dependents. Having the dates together avoids delays when the volunteer enters personal information and checks that the return identifies each individual correctly.
Collect every income statement
Do not stop after finding a W-2. Search for all statements issued for the tax year and bring them together, including forms received electronically. The checklist specifically names W-2, W-2G, Forms 1099, and Social Security benefit statements. If a spouse or dependent had income, include that person’s statements as well.
Why “every” matters
A volunteer can prepare only from the information you provide. Leaving out a second job’s W-2, a gambling-related W-2G, a 1099, or a Social Security statement can make the initial information incomplete. Put statements from different employers, payers, or benefit programs in one folder and tell the volunteer if you are still waiting for a form.
Use transcripts when they are relevant
Bring IRS or state income transcripts when applicable. A transcript can be useful when the site has asked for it or when the available paperwork does not show all income information. Ask the site ahead of time whether it wants a transcript for your particular case and how recent it must be.
Bring last year’s returns
Pack a copy of last year’s federal return and state return if you have them. Prior returns give the preparer a reference for carryover information and the way your names and dependents were entered previously. They are helpful records, not a reason to postpone an appointment if you cannot locate them; tell the site what you do have and ask whether it can proceed.
Include banking information only for direct deposit
If you want a refund sent by direct deposit, bring the bank routing number and account number. The IRS checklist gives a blank check as an example of proof. Verify the numbers before the appointment so the volunteer can enter them accurately.
You do not need to bring bank details merely to attend. If you are not requesting direct deposit, this category may not apply to your visit. Decide before you leave home whether direct deposit is the option you want and pack the supporting information only if the answer is yes.
Add records for circumstances that apply to you
Childcare costs
If you have applicable childcare expenses, bring the amount paid and the childcare provider’s tax-identifying number. Gather the information for each provider whose costs you are reporting. If you are uncertain which costs belong in the return, bring the records and ask the volunteer to review them rather than estimating.
Health insurance forms
Bring Form 1095-A when it applies. The Taxpayer Advocate Service checklist also identifies Forms 1095-B and 1095-C as records that may be relevant. If you received a health-insurance exemption certificate, include it. Keep the forms with the rest of the year’s tax records so the volunteer can see which coverage information belongs to the return.
Deductions and charitable contributions
Bring information supporting deductions you intend to claim, including records of charitable contributions. Organize receipts or statements by type and year. The site may have limits on the situations it can handle, so describe the deduction question when you make the appointment.
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ITIN and foreign-status documentation
An ITIN-related visit requires more than an ordinary identity check. Bring the applicable ITIN records and proof of foreign status, and confirm in advance that the chosen location provides the relevant assistance. Some VITA locations offer Certifying Acceptance Agent service; that service is not universal across sites.
Joint returns require both spouses for electronic signing
When spouses file a joint return electronically, both must be present to sign the required forms. Plan the appointment so neither spouse has to leave before the signing step is complete. Bring each spouse’s photo identification and Social Security card, along with the shared income and deduction records.
How to organize the appointment folder
- Make a household list. Write the names of every taxpayer and dependent who will appear on the return, then place each person’s identification, Social Security or ITIN record, and birth date information together.
- Separate income from supporting records. Keep W-2, W-2G, 1099, Social Security, and transcript documents in one section. Put prior-year returns in a separate section so they are easy to find.
- Create an “only if applicable” section. Add childcare costs, provider tax-identifying numbers, health-coverage forms, exemption certificates, deduction records, and ITIN or foreign-status documents only when they relate to your return.
- Add direct-deposit proof if requested. Place the blank check or other bank-information proof with the folder only if you want a refund by direct deposit.
- Make a question list. Note missing forms, unusual income, an ITIN request, or any issue you already know may require site-specific expertise. Call the location with those questions before the appointment.
Common problems and what to do
You cannot find a prior return
Bring the current-year records you do have and tell the site that last year’s return is unavailable. Ask whether the location needs a copy before it can prepare your return or whether another record will work for your circumstances.
A form has not arrived
Do not replace a missing statement with an estimate. Tell the site which form is missing and ask whether you should reschedule or obtain a transcript first. Bringing an incomplete income file without warning can prevent the volunteer from finishing the return.
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Send the site a description of the document before the appointment. This is especially important for identification, ITIN applications, foreign-status proof, and health-insurance exemption certificates, where the location may have specific requirements.
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The site cannot handle your issue
VITA and TCE sites are designed for free basic preparation for qualified individuals, not every tax matter. If the location says your situation falls outside its available expertise or services, ask what type of assistance it recommends and whether another nearby site has the needed capability.
What to expect when you arrive
Have your identity records ready first, followed by the income statements and prior returns. The volunteer will need information for every person on the return, then will work through income and any applicable childcare, health-coverage, deduction, transcript, or ITIN records. If you requested direct deposit, the bank information is entered as part of that filing choice.
Before electronic submission of a joint return, both spouses must be available to sign the required forms. Review the completed information with the volunteer and raise any missing form or incorrect personal detail before signing.
A practical decision rule
If your visit involves only ordinary identity records, Social Security information, birth dates, income statements, and a prior return, start with the standard checklist and confirm the site’s appointment process. If you add an ITIN application, foreign-status documentation, unusual income, health-coverage forms, childcare costs, or deduction questions, contact the location first and describe those details. The site’s available volunteers and services determine whether it can complete the return, so a pre-appointment check is as important as the documents in your folder.
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