Prompt
What's the best client intake form for onboarding new tax clients and collecting W-2s and 1099s?
Latest observation
The “best” client intake form is usually a two-part onboarding packet:
- Client intake questionnaire for identity, filing status, dependents, income sources, and tax situation.
- 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.
Observation history
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