Start with finished books, not raw bank data
The most useful thing you can give a preparer is a set of books that agree with your bank. That means every account reconciled through the last day of the tax year, with no pile of uncategorized transactions left over. If you send a preparer a bank export and say sort it out, you are paying tax-preparer rates for bookkeeping work.
Before sending anything, open your accounting file and look for a suspense or uncategorized account. If it holds a balance, clear it or at least list what is in it. A preparer will ask about every large item anyway, so answering early saves a round of email.
The core reports to include
Export a profit and loss report for the full year and a balance sheet as of the last day of the year. If you use accrual accounting, include an aging report for money customers owe you and money you owe vendors. Add a general ledger or transaction detail report so the preparer can drill into any number that looks unusual.
Save these as PDF and, where possible, as a spreadsheet. Many preparers like a spreadsheet because they can sort and filter. Name the files with the year and the business name so nothing gets mixed up with another client or another year.
Supporting documents that sit outside the books
Some items never touch your accounting software. Gather the year-end statements for loans and credit lines, because the preparer needs the interest paid and the ending balance. Collect any Forms 1099-NEC, 1099-K or 1099-MISC you received, and last year's filed return if the preparer is new to you.
If you bought or sold equipment, vehicles or property, bring the purchase or sale paperwork. Home office square footage, vehicle mileage totals and the number of days a space was used are also facts the books cannot supply, so write them down on one sheet.
Write a short cover note
A half page of plain notes can prevent a dozen questions. Mention anything that changed during the year: a new loan, a new owner, a new state where you sold products, a big one-time customer, a personal expense paid from the business by mistake. State what you already corrected and what you did not.
Also say what you are unsure about. A line like I think this laptop was for personal use, please advise is far more helpful than silence. The preparer decides the tax treatment. Your job is to give them accurate facts.
Mistakes that slow things down
The common delays are missing reconciliations, mixed personal and business spending, loan payments booked as expenses instead of split between interest and principal, and owner payments recorded as ordinary expenses. Each of these changes the numbers on the return, so the preparer has to stop and untangle them.
If you would rather not do this yourself, a bookkeeper can assemble the package. MCC Solutions prepares year-end bookkeeping packages for preparers on request, and the same checklist applies whoever does it.
Common questions
How early should I send my records to a preparer?
As soon as the books are reconciled through year end. Preparers often get busy near filing deadlines, and an early, complete package is easier to schedule than a late, messy one.
Should I send the whole accounting file or just reports?
Reports are the normal starting point. If the preparer needs more access, you can invite them as a user to your own account so you stay the owner of the data.
What if I do not have a receipt for something?
Tell the preparer rather than guessing. Bank or card statements, emails and invoices can sometimes support an expense, and the preparer can advise whether that is enough.
This guide is general information, not tax, legal or accounting advice. Rules, fees and due dates change; check with the IRS, the NJ Division of Taxation or a licensed professional for your situation.