The Illinois CPA Society suggests making a checklist of the tax forms you’re likely to receive and need to file for a flawless tax season.
CHICAGO, Jan. 13, 2026 – Tax season will officially kick off on Jan. 26, 2026, and taxpayers’ will soon be flooded with tax forms from their employers, banks, brokers, and others. Last year, the IRS processed more than 163 million tax returns, which means getting yours filed fast and flawlessly could help to avoid potential IRS processing delays.
Before filing your federal and state tax returns, the Illinois CPA Society suggests making a checklist of the forms you anticipate receiving and needing to file. Every taxpayer’s situation is different depending on how they earn taxable income, so here’s a list of the most common forms to watch for:
W-2: Form W-2 is provided by employers annually to report an employee’s total compensation, taxes paid, and contributions to retirement accounts, among other payroll deductions and details. W-2s should be delivered by the end of January.
1098: Form 1098 is the mortgage interest statement provided by each lender for each mortgage a taxpayer is named on, reporting how much was paid in interest, insurance premiums, and other financial details.
1098-E: This form reports federal student loan interest paid by borrowers equal to or greater than $600.
1098-T: Taxpayers who received payments for qualified tuition and expenses, certain adjustments, scholarships, or grants will receive Form 1098-T from their educational institution.
1099-B: Taxpayers with proceeds from broker or barter transactions, like selling stocks or options, or exchanging property, will receive Form 1099-B from each applicable financial institution to report any capital gains or losses.
1099-DIV: Each bank or financial institution in which a taxpayer receives dividends or other distributions from their investments during the calendar year will issue Form 1099-DIV to report the income.
1099-INT: Interest earned above $10 will be reported on Form 1099-INT for each interest-bearing account from each applicable bank or financial institution.
1099-K: Income received for sales through payment networks like Cash App, eBay, Etsy, PayPal, and Venmo, among others, are reported on this form. Taxpayers with these types of transactions can expect to receive a 1099-K from the third parties where their transactions exceeded $20,000 or 200 transactions in 2025.
1099-MISC: Income earned from miscellaneous sources, like royalties, rents, prizes, awards, or other non-employee compensation, are reported on Form 1099-MISC.
1099-NEC: Independent contractors earning more than $600 during the calendar year from an entity will receive a 1099-NEC for their work.
1099-R: Taxpayers who received distributions of $10 or more from a pension, annuity, retirement account, profit-sharing plan, or insurance contract will receive Form 1099-R from each applicable financial institution to report the income.
Schedule K-1: Three groups of taxpayers typically receive a K-1: business owners, co-owners, and partners; shareholders and investors; and those receiving income or assets from a trust or estate. A K-1 reports the amounts (income, losses, etc.) that are passed through to each party that must be reported on their own tax returns. It’s not uncommon for K-1s to arrive later than all other tax forms, as they’re often issued closer to the March 15 or April 15 deadlines.
SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S: For taxpayers receiving Social Security benefits, either Form SSA-1099 or Form SSA-1042S will be provided by the Social Security Administration to report the total benefits received.
A simple checklist of the forms you expect to receive can help ensure they’re all accounted for before filing your federal and state tax returns. Most tax forms will be delivered from January through February, although some forms may arrive later into March. It’s also always important to check each form for any errors or inconsistencies before filing. Filing before all expected forms arrive is one of the most common causes of amended returns and IRS correspondence.
The deadline for filing individual tax returns is April 15, 2026, which is also the deadline for requesting a six-month filing extension. Remember, however, an extension only provides additional time to file a return, and any anticipated tax payments are still due on April 15 (an extension to file is not an extension to pay). The IRS urges taxpayers to electronically file their tax returns and to choose direct deposit if receiving a refund to speed up processing and enhance security.
Filing federal and state tax returns can be complicated. The Illinois CPA Society reminds taxpayers that CPAs, certified public accountants, are ready to help. The Illinois CPA Society’s free “Find a CPA” directory can help you find the trusted, strategic advisor that’s right for you based on location, types of services needed, and languages spoken. Find your CPA at www.icpas.org/findacpa.