Filing basics
How to prepare for your US individual tax return
Learn how to organise your tax records, review your prior-year return and prepare questions before working with a tax professional.
- Estimated reading time
- 6 min read
- Last reviewed:
Clear guidance for preparing to file.
Learn how to organise your tax records, understand the documents you may receive and know what to expect before you work with a tax professional.
These resources give you general educational information. They are not tax, legal, financial or investment advice, and they do not decide whether Clear1040 can take on your return.
Featured resources
Preparing for your tax return
These introductory guides explain common records and filing situations before you work with a tax professional.
Income and records
Understanding your common tax documents
Understand what common tax documents generally report and why the documents you need depend on your income and filing circumstances.
- Estimated reading time
- 7 min read
- Last reviewed:
State and special situations
Understanding federal and state tax returns
Understand how federal and state returns differ and why where you live, work or earn income may affect your state filing obligations.
- Estimated reading time
- 6 min read
- Last reviewed:
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Filing basics
How to prepare for your US individual tax return
Learn how to organise your tax records, review your prior-year return and prepare questions before working with a tax professional.
- Estimated reading time
- 6 min read
- Last reviewed:
Income and records
Understanding your common tax documents
Understand what common tax documents generally report and why the documents you need depend on your income and filing circumstances.
- Estimated reading time
- 7 min read
- Last reviewed:
State and special situations
Understanding federal and state tax returns
Understand how federal and state returns differ and why where you live, work or earn income may affect your state filing obligations.
- Estimated reading time
- 6 min read
- Last reviewed:
Income and records
Records to gather if you are self-employed
Learn which income, expense and payment records self-employed people and independent contractors commonly keep, and why your own records matter.
- Estimated reading time
- 6 min read
- Last reviewed:
Income and records
Information to gather for investment or rental income
Learn which statements and property records to collect if you hold investments or rent out property, and why older records may still matter.
- Estimated reading time
- 6 min read
- Last reviewed:
State and special situations
Prior-year and amended returns: what to know
Understand the difference between a return you never filed and one you want corrected, and which records you will need for each.
- Estimated reading time
- 5 min read
- Last reviewed: