Personal Information

• To complete a tax return form, you will need all your personal identification information. This includes your name, date of birth, social security number, address and phone number. The tax form also will ask whether you are a dependent or have dependents. If you have children, you will need all their personal information as well.
  
  

Job Information

• Tax return forms will ask for information about your job. You will need to specify your type of employment and name your employer. Even if you no longer work for an employer, a federal or state tax return will ask for information contained on a W-2 form. You will have to contact the places you worked the previous year to get these forms if you did not receive them.
  
  

Income and Assets

• Along with identifying your employer, the W-2 form also gives you information about your income from that year. If you have other sources of income, such as freelance work, investments, unemployment or retirement money, you should gather your records on these too.
  
  

Deductions

• You can benefit from tax deductions if you qualify. Save receipts from any work expenses not covered by your employer. You also should keep records of any charitable donations you made. Many of these can be deducted from what you owe the government.