New tax client questionnaire for individual returns
A new tax client questionnaire is not an organizer. The organizer collects this year's documents; the questionnaire decides whether you take the client, what you charge and which documents you ask for. It is grouped by the decision each answer drives, and it is written for tax year 2026 returns, filed in 2027.
Who sends itSent by the owner or senior preparer to a prospect after the first call and before the engagement letter is signed, ideally with a due date a few days out so the answers shape the quote.
Reviewed November 9, 2026 · 29 items
0 of 29 ticked
01Who is on the return
02Income they received
03Business and rental activity
04Deductions, credits and life events
05Foreign accounts and IRS history
06Engagement and delivery
What firms get wrong
Sending one long organizer to a new client before you know whether they have self-employment, foreign accounts or digital assets, so the quote is wrong and the client is overwhelmed.
Asking for the 2025 return only and missing the carryovers, depreciation schedules and state returns that sit in 2024.
Assuming a client with no Form 1099-K or Form 1099-NEC had no income from apps or clients, when the payer may be below the threshold.
Skipping the dependent and custody questions, then finding out at e-file that another taxpayer has already claimed the child.
Collecting the IP PIN by email or accepting last year's number, which is invalid because a new one is generated each year.
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Questions about this checklist
When should a new client answer this questionnaire?
Before you sign the engagement letter, ideally a few days after the first call. The answers decide your fee tier, which schedules apply and whether you take the client at all. Send the document request after the engagement is signed.
How is this different from a tax organizer?
The organizer asks for the current year's documents once the work has been accepted. This questionnaire is the screening step, with yes or no questions about situations like foreign accounts, digital assets and rental properties, so you can quote correctly. Many firms send both, one after the other.
Should clients type Social Security numbers into the questionnaire?
No. Ask for a photo of the card or ITIN letter through a secure upload, and keep the number out of free-text answers and email. The IRS also recommends against sending sensitive information over unsecured email.
Which 1099-NEC threshold applies to a new client's payments?
For tax years beginning after 2025, the threshold is $2,000, and it applies to payments made in 2026. A client who filed 2025 under the lower prior threshold may be surprised, so confirm with the instructions for Form 1099-MISC and Form 1099-NEC when you answer.
Can this run in Usual?
Yes. In Usual a yes or no answer can show or hide follow-up items, so a client who answers no to rentals never sees the Schedule E questions. The client opens a personal link with no password, and reminders stop once everything is in.