What's the best client intake form for onboarding new tax clients and collecting W-2s and 1099s?

The “best” client intake form is usually a two-part onboarding packet:

1. Client intake questionnaire for identity, filing status, dependents, income sources, and tax situation.
2. Document upload checklist for W-2s, 1099s, prior returns, and supporting docs.

That combination works better than a single long form because it’s easier for clients and cleaner for your team.

What it should include

1) Basic client info

• Full legal name
• SSN / ITIN
• Date of birth
• Current address
• Phone and email
• Preferred contact method
• Filing status
• Spouse info if applicable
• Dependent info if applicable

2) Tax profile questions

• Were you a full-year resident of the state?
• Any moves during the year?
• Any self-employment?
• Any rental property?
• Any crypto, stocks, or investment sales?
• Any foreign accounts or foreign income?
• Any major life changes:
  • marriage/divorce
  • baby
  • home purchase/sale
  • retirement
  • education expenses
  • health coverage changes

3) Income document checklist

Ask them to upload:

• W-2s
• 1099-NEC
• 1099-MISC
• 1099-K
• 1099-INT
• 1099-DIV
• 1099-B / brokerage statements
• SSA-1099
• 1098 forms
• K-1s
• Unemployment statements
• Prior-year tax return
• State tax notices, if any

4) Deduction/credit questions

• Childcare expenses
• Education expenses
• Mortgage interest / property taxes
• Charitable donations
• Medical expenses
• Business mileage / expenses
• Retirement contributions
• HSA contributions

5) Engagement and compliance items

• E-signature for engagement letter
• Consent to e-file
• Consent to communicate by email/text
• Organizer acknowledgement
• Identity verification if needed

Best format

For most firms, the best setup is:

• A secure online intake form
• A separate secure file upload portal
• Conditional logic so clients only see relevant questions
• Mobile-friendly design
• Auto-reminders for missing W-2s/1099s

Recommended tools

Common options:

• TaxDome
• Canopy
• Liscio
• SmartVault
• Google Forms + secure upload portal only if you’re very careful about security and workflow

My recommendation

If you want the simplest “best practice” version, use:

• Client onboarding questionnaire
• Income document upload checklist
• Engagement letter + e-sign
• Checklist-based workflow for your staff

Sample structure

If you want, I can draft a ready-to-use tax client intake form for you with:

• individual taxpayer version, or
• business client version,
• plus a W-2/1099 upload checklist.

If you'd like, I can generate a polished form you can copy into TaxDome, Typeform, Jotform, or Google Forms.