PRACTICAL TAX AND ACCOUNTING GUIDANCE
Tax Resources and Checklists
Use these checklists to prepare for a tax or bookkeeping conversation, explore practical articles, and get answers about working with Jessica. They are starting guides; your own document request will depend on your situation and engagement.
Keep confidential records out of public forms. Jessica will provide instructions for secure document exchange when records are needed.
- Texas-licensed CPA
- English and Spanish
- Secure document exchange
CHOOSE THE RESOURCE THAT MATCHES YOUR NEXT STEP
Start Here
Preparing for a Business Tax Return
Start with the small business checklist to identify the categories of records that may be relevant. The final request will depend on the entity, jurisdictions, accounting records, transactions, and accepted filing scope.
Preparing for an Individual Tax Return
Use the individual checklist to organize common income, payment, dependent, education, property, and life-change information. Do not assume every item applies or that the list includes everything required for your return.
Starting Monthly Bookkeeping
Use the bookkeeping onboarding checklist to understand the systems and records that may need to be connected. Access, cleanup, reporting, and cutoff requirements are defined for each accepted engagement.
Looking for an Explanation or a Quick Answer
Browse recent articles for general education or review the common questions below for information about virtual service, SmartVault, engagement scope, and next steps.
STARTING ORGANIZERS NOT COMPLETE DOCUMENT REQUESTS
Tax and Bookkeeping Checklists
These checklists are designed to help you organize common information before a fit call or after the firm requests records. They are not a complete list for every taxpayer or business, and they do not replace the document request for an accepted engagement. Keep original records and provide only the items requested through the approved process.
Get All Three as a Printable PDF
Enter your first name and email and we will send a printable PDF with all three checklists, including space for notes and questions for your fit call.
We use your email only to send the checklists and, if you ask, to follow up. We do not sell your information. See our Privacy Policy. Please do not include confidential information.
Small Business Tax Preparation Checklist
Use this list to identify common record categories for a business return. The exact request depends on the entity type, tax elections, accounting method, jurisdictions, owners, transactions, and filing history.
Show the checklist (10 items)
- Prior-year federal and state business returns, including depreciation and carryover schedules
- Income records, customer invoices, Forms 1099 received, and payment-processor reports, as applicable
- Current bookkeeping reports or business bank and credit-card activity requested by the firm
- Payroll reports, payroll tax filings, and contractor payment information, when applicable
- Records for equipment, vehicles, real estate, or other assets purchased, sold, traded, or placed in service
- Mileage logs and business-use support when vehicle expenses may be relevant
- Loan statements and records of owner contributions, draws, distributions, or reimbursements
- Entity, ownership, election, registration, or jurisdiction changes during the year
- Estimated tax payments, extension confirmations, and federal or state tax notices
- Information about unusual or significant transactions that may require separate analysis
This is a starting organizer. Do not upload all listed records unless the firm requests them and provides the correct SmartVault location.
Individual Tax Preparation Checklist
Use this list to organize common information for an individual income tax return. The forms and records needed depend on income sources, filing status, dependents, property, investments, business activity, jurisdictions, and changes during the year.
Show the checklist (10 items)
- Prior-year federal and state income tax returns and carryover schedules
- Forms W-2 and applicable Forms 1099, K-1, SSA-1099, and other income statements
- Forms 1095-A and other health coverage information, when applicable
- Brokerage, digital-asset, or property transaction statements and basis records, when applicable
- Estimated tax payments, extension payments, and other federal or state payments
- Dependent, childcare, and education information, when relevant to the return
- Mortgage interest, real estate tax, charitable contribution, and other itemized-deduction support, when applicable
- Self-employment, rental, or other business income and expense records, when included in the accepted scope
- Information about a marriage, divorce, move, new dependent, retirement, inheritance, property sale, or other significant change
- Federal or state tax notices and the response deadline shown on each notice
Identification and taxpayer identification information may be required during an approved intake, but it should be exchanged only through the process and secure channel specified by the firm.
Monthly Bookkeeping Onboarding Checklist
Use this list to prepare for a bookkeeping setup conversation. The systems, access, historical cleanup, close schedule, and reports included will be defined in the written proposal for an accepted engagement.
Show the checklist (10 items)
- Entity name, ownership structure, accounting method, and filing calendar
- Current accounting software, chart of accounts, and prior-period financial statements
- Business bank, credit-card, loan, and payment-processor accounts that affect the books
- Payroll provider reports, contractor payment process, and payroll filing responsibilities
- Sales tax, franchise tax, or other recurring state and local reporting responsibilities
- Customer invoicing, accounts receivable, vendor bills, and accounts payable processes
- Owner contributions, draws, distributions, reimbursements, and personal activity that must be separated
- Inventory, fixed assets, financing, or other activity that may require additional tracking
- Desired close timing, internal contacts, and reports needed for business decisions or tax preparation
- Known unreconciled periods, duplicate transactions, missing records, or cleanup concerns
Do not share passwords or place confidential identifiers in the public contact form. The firm will explain approved access and document steps if the engagement moves forward.
USE THE RIGHT CHANNEL FOR THE RIGHT INFORMATION
Confidential Documents and Secure Next Steps
Public Website Form
Use the public form only for ordinary contact information, the general service needed, a short nonconfidential description, the nearest deadline, and whether you prefer English or Spanish. Do not enter taxpayer identification numbers, account numbers, tax balances, notice text, or detailed financial information.
SmartVault Client Portal
When confidential documents are needed to evaluate or perform accepted work, the firm provides SmartVault instructions through its approved process. Use the requested link and folder and provide only the records identified by the firm.
Regular Email
Use regular email for scheduling and ordinary administrative messages. Do not send tax returns, identification numbers, bank statements, payroll files, IRS notices, or other confidential tax and financial records through regular email unless the firm gives a specific approved instruction.
ARTICLES FROM JESSICA GONZALEZ, CPA
Recent Guidance
Read practical explanations of tax, bookkeeping, and planning topics. Each article is general educational information based on the law and guidance available when it was published or last reviewed. Your facts and later developments may change the result.
Is a Roth Conversion Right for You? A San Antonio CPA Weighs In
A framework for the questions that should be considered before deciding whether a Roth conversion fits a taxpayer’s facts, timing, and broader plan.
Is Your Tax Preparer Putting You at Risk? What a 2026 Undercover Study Found
Questions to consider about credentials, return review, documentation, and accountability when choosing a tax return preparer.
5 Signs Your Small Business Needs a Bookkeeper (and What to Do Next)
Five signs your books need regular help, plus how bookkeepers and CPAs split the work and what to do next.
CLEAR ANSWERS ABOUT RECORDS, SCOPE, AND NEXT STEPS
Common Questions Clients Ask
Are These Checklists a Complete Document Request?
No. They are starting organizers for common record categories. The exact request depends on the taxpayer, entities, jurisdictions, transactions, deadlines, and services accepted in writing. Follow the request provided for your engagement rather than sending every item listed here.
Should I Upload Records From This Page?
No. This page does not accept confidential documents. If records are needed, the firm will provide SmartVault instructions and identify what to upload. Do not send confidential tax or financial records through the public contact form or regular email.
Do I Need to Visit an Office?
Jessica meets with clients virtually and uses secure document exchange. The firm does not offer walk-in service; the details of an accepted engagement will be explained before work begins.
Do You Work With Both Individuals and Businesses?
The firm considers individual and business tax preparation, monthly bookkeeping, tax planning, retirement tax planning, and IRS notice assistance. Acceptance depends on the facts, jurisdictions, deadlines, records, conflicts, capacity, and requested scope.
Do You Work With S Corporations and Partnerships?
The firm considers S corporation and partnership packages when the records, filing history, jurisdictions, owners, deadlines, and required work fit its services and capacity. The package includes one entity return and K-1s, one or two identified owners’ complete federal Form 1040 returns, and an outside-tax-season strategy meeting; an annual written reasonable compensation report applies when relevant to an S corporation. The $3,000 starting fee assumes reconciled books and otherwise routine owner returns. Cleanup or more complex filings change the quote and written scope.
Is Tax Preparation Included With Monthly Bookkeeping?
Not automatically. Monthly bookkeeping and tax preparation are separate services unless a written proposal expressly includes both. The proposal identifies the entities, periods, returns, and support included so the scope is clear before work begins.
Do You Provide Tax Planning Outside Filing Season?
Year-Round Tax Planning is a separate service or an expressly included part of another engagement. Availability, timing, deliverables, and update points are defined in the written proposal. A return-preparation engagement alone does not create ongoing planning access.
Can Jessica Represent Me Before the IRS?
A CPA may represent taxpayers before the IRS when properly authorized. Whether the firm accepts a particular notice, examination, collection, or other matter depends on the facts, deadlines, conflicts, records, authorization, and written scope. A fit call does not create representation or extend an IRS deadline.
What Is SmartVault and How Is It Used?
SmartVault is the secure client portal the firm uses to request and exchange confidential documents during an approved intake or engagement. Follow the link, folder, and instructions supplied by the firm. Do not use a public form or regular email as a substitute for the requested portal process.
Is Service Available in Spanish?
Yes. Clients may discuss services, records, and next steps in English or Spanish. The written proposal will identify the actual service and deliverables accepted.
How Do I Get Started?
Book a 15-minute fit call and share general, nonconfidential information about the people or entities involved, the service needed, the jurisdictions, record condition, and nearest deadline. If the work is a fit, the firm will explain secure document steps and provide a written proposal. Work begins only after the engagement is accepted.
RELATED SERVICES
READY TO TALK
Start With a 15-Minute Fit Call
Tell Jessica what you need and when you need it. The complimentary 15-minute call helps determine whether the work fits the firm’s services and schedule. If it does, Jessica will explain the secure next step and prepare a written proposal.
Please do not send tax returns, Social Security numbers, employer identification numbers, bank statements, payroll records, IRS notices, or other confidential documents through the public website form or regular email.