Are You Tax-Ready for the 2024 Filing Season?

Are You Tax-Ready for the 2024 Filing Season?

The electronic filing season began on Monday, January 27, 2025, and the individual tax filing deadline for 2024 taxes is April 15, 2025. Below is everything you need to know to get your personal and business tax returns organized and submitted on time.

Individual Tax Returns: What We Need

Tax Organizers
We’ve sent out individual tax organizers to help you gather the necessary details for your 2024 personal tax return. Please complete and return the questionnaire portion, even if you don’t use the full organizer.

If you’re a sole proprietor, single-member LLC, or landlord, please include your business information within your individual organizer. For more specific business filings (e.g., S-Corps, Partnerships), refer to the section below.

Business Tax Returns: What We Need

If you need a return for your S-Corp, C-Corp or Partnership here’s what to provide:

  1. Submit Our Business Questionnaire
    Complete the business tax return questionnaire. This must be submitted before we can begin your return.
  2. Estimated Tax Payments
    Provide confirmations for any state and federal estimated tax payments made in 2024 and 2025 related to 2024 taxes.
  3. Accounting Information
    • QuickBooks Online Users: Contact us as soon as all 2024 transactions and reconciliations are complete. Tell us you are ready for preparation by inviting us as an Accountant User if we don’t already have access.
    • QuickBooks Desktop Users: Send an Accountant’s Copy with a 1/1/2025 cutoff date along with any required username/passwords. FYI: The desktop versions are no longer supported by QuickBooks.
    • Other Accounting Systems (Xero, Zoho, etc.): Notify us when your files are ready.
    • No Accounting System: Download all your bank/credit account activity into a spreadsheet, categorize transactions, and provide totals for income and expenses.
  4. Bank Information
    Provide statements for end-of-year checking, savings, and credit card accounts (including January 2025 if the cutoff date is not December 31).
  5. Payroll & 1099s
    If applicable, submit copies of:
  6. W-2s, W-3
  7. Payroll tax forms (941, 940)
    1. 1099-NEC and 1099-MISC reports, and summaries
  8. Inventory (if you have it)
    Include your year-end inventory valuation summary. Explain how inventory was valued (lower of cost or market).
  9. Fixed Assets
    Provide details on assets purchased (over $2,500) or sold in 2024, includes:

    1.  Descriptions
      • Purchase/sale dates
      • Amounts, and related invoices or agreements.
    2. For New Vehicles,
      • include gross vehicle weight and dealership documentation for potential credits.
  10. Vehicle Expenses
    For each business vehicle, provide:

    •  Mileage for Business, personal, and commuting
    •  Fuel, maintenance, insurance, interest, lease, and registration expenses
  11. Retirement Plans
    Provide details on 2024 contributions and amounts owed to plans as of December 31, 2024. Let us know if you plan to make any more 2024 profit sharing or matching contributions.
  12. Ownership Changes
    List any ownership changes and provide updated addresses, ownership percentages, and Social Security Numbers of new owners.
  13. Multi-State Operations
    Submit a breakdown of sales, payroll, and rent by state, along with copies of sales tax returns.
  14. Other Documents:
    • IRS/states notices
    • Agreements to buy/sell businesses
    • Correspondence or details related to virtual currencies and their transactions.

Additional Tips for Deductions and Reporting

  • Insurance Expenses: Provide totals for disability, health (owner and employee), life insurance, worker’s comp, and general business insurance.
  • Meals & Entertainment: Separate totals into business meals and entertainment for accurate reporting.

Stay proactive—whether for individual or business tax returns—and let us know if you need any guidance.

Submit your documents through your secure portal or once you’ve gathered everything.

By staying organized, you’ll avoid unnecessary delays and maximize your tax savings this season. Let’s work together to make tax season a stress-free success!

Want More from Your CPA Firm?

Unhappy with your current CPA/tax professional? Looking for guidance and coaching to improve your business strategy? The first step is understanding your options, so you can take control of your finances and make better informed decisions that impact the future success of your company.

At MD LEWIS LLC, we will help you do just that.