2018 INDIVIDUAL TAX ORGANIZER for FORM 1040 and 1040-ME. Name: Taxpayer: Spouse: Date of Birth: Taxpayer Spouse Address:

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1 Countinghouse Associates, P.A. TEL: Warren Bell, CPA, 234 Hodsdon Road, Pownal, ME FAX: INDIVIDUAL TAX ORGANIZER for FORM 1040 and 1040-ME Name: Taxpayer: Spouse: Telephone numbers: Day: Evening: Date of Birth: Taxpayer Spouse Address: This organizer is intended to help you compile the information needed to prepare complete and accurate returns. Many of the questions will not apply to your individual tax situation. Please answer each question that does apply, and provide the supporting documents requested - generally the information returns received from employers, financial institutions, etc. Copies are acceptable; all originals will be photocopied and returned. Please note: don t bother entering amounts reported on the forms you submit. E-FILING: The IRS requires CPA firms to e-file returns. Exceptions can be made for clients who instruct us not to e-file. Accordingly, if you would prefer not to e-file, please indicate below. Otherwise, we will prepare you returns to be e-filed upon receipt of your signed authorization. No, I (we) do not want to e-file. DRIVER S LICENSE INFORMATION: The IRS currently DOES NOT require driver s license information for e-filing. However, voluntarily providing the information will combat stolen-identity tax fraud. Taxpayer Spouse ID number Issuing State Date of issue Date of expiration ELECTRONIC TAX PAYMENTS AND REFUNDS: If you are due a refund, do you want it to be deposited electronically? If you owe taxes, do you want the balance due paid electronically? If you are required to pay quarterly estimated taxes, do you want to make these payments electronically? If you responded yes to any of these questions, please provide your Bank Account information: Use the same bank account information submitted last year. Use the following information: The account is a: Checking account Savings account Routing number (always 9 digits): Account number:

2 FOREIGN ASSETS At any time during 2018 did you have an interest or signature authority over a financial account (such as a bank account, securities account or a brokerage account)in a foreign country? If you did have a foreign account (or accounts), was the total balance in such account(s): $10,000 or more at any time during the year? $50,000 or more at any time during the year? The reporting requirements become increasingly onerous as your balances increase. We will contact you if you have a reporting obligation that requires additional information. ELECTION CAMPAIGN RETURN QUESTIONS FEDERAL RETURN: Do you want $3.00 to go to the Presidential Election Campaign Fund? Taxpayer: Spouse: MAINE RETURN: Do you want $3.00 to go to the Maine Clean Election Fund? Taxpayer: Spouse: MAINE USE TAX ON OUT OF STATE PURCHASES The state of Maine requires taxpayers to report use tax (sales tax on out of state purchases). Use tax is incurred on purchases made out of state when sales tax of less than 5.5% is paid, or when purchased are made out of state by mail order. If you don't know the exact amount of use tax owed, we can calculate an amount based on state guidelines, which calculate the use tax at.08% (.0008) of your Maine adjusted gross income, plus 5.5% of any out of state purchases costing $1,000 or more. Please select one of the following options: The tax owed is, based on 5.5% of out of state purchases, less any taxes paid to the state(s) where the items were purchased. No out of state purchases were made that are subject to this use tax, or Calculate the amount based on.08% of Maine adjusted gross income, and add 5.5% of for items costing $1,000 or more. 2

3 HEALTH CARE: INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY a. To avoid the penalty for not having health insurance, you must either: 1) Have qualifying health care coverage for every month of 2018 for yourself, your spouse (if filing jointly), and anyone you can or do claim as a dependent, 2) Qualify for an exemption from the requirement to have health care coverage, or Make a shared responsibility payment with your return. Information reporting about health coverage. If you or a dependent had health coverage in 2018, the provider of that coverage is required to send you one of the following forms. Form 1095-A, Health Insurance Marketplace Statement. The Health Insurance Marketplace (Marketplace) sends this form to individuals who enrolled in coverage there, with information about the coverage, who was covered, and when. This should be sent to you by February 1. Form 1095-B, Health Coverage. Health insurance companies, including workplace insurance coverage, send this form to individuals they cover, with information about who was covered and when. This form is delayed this year, and may not be sent to you until as late as March 31. Form 1095-C, Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage. Certain employers send this form to certain employees, with information about what coverage the employer offered. Employers that offer health coverage referred to as self-insured coverage send this form to individuals they cover, with information about who was covered and when. This form is delayed this year, and may not be sent to you until as late as March 31. Please check here if you had qualifying health care coverage for all or part of the year, and enclose the forms that provide the monthly coverage details 2018 Tax Law Change Please note: the 2018 tax bill eliminates the penalty for not having health insurance after December 31, QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS: 3

4 1. GENERAL INFORMATION: Please review your 2017 Federal Form 1040 and answer the following: If your address has changed, please enter your new address: Do any of the dependents listed on your 2017 return fail to qualify in 2018? If yes, who? _ 2018 Tax Law Change Please note, for 2018 you can no longer claim a personal exemption deduction for yourself or your dependents. The impact of losing this exemption deduction is offset by either a more generous child tax credit of up to $2,000, or a $500 Credit for Other Dependents. Please note that the rules for determining who qualifies as your dependent have not changed. Do you have an additional dependent who qualifies for exemption status in 2018? Name: Social Security Number: Relationship: Date of birth: Did any dependent have unearned income (interest, dividends, and capital gains) of $1,050 or more, or earned income of $12,000 or more? If so, a return must be filed. Did any dependent child over age 19 in 2018 attend school for less than 5 months? Did any dependent child live with you for less than twelve months? (Note: dependents who are full-time students and away from home to attend school are considered to be living at home.) Are the occupations listed on page 2 of your 2017 federal return correct for 2018? If not: your occupation spouse s Did any dependent provide over one half of his or her support? Do you qualify for HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD STATUS in 2018? Note: If you are single and paid over half the cost of keeping up a home that was the main home of a relative or foster child, you may qualify for head of household filing status, even if that person was not a dependent. If you believe you qualify for head of household status, please enter the qualifying person s name, and we will contact you if we need additional details: 2. WAGES, SALARIES, TIPS: Do you have wages, salaries or tips to report? Please submit all W-2 forms received. 4

5 3. TAXABLE INTEREST INCOME: Did you receive taxable interest income? Please submit all 1099-INT and 1099-OID Forms, or annual account statements that report this information. If you received interest payments from anyone who did not send you a 1099, please prepare a schedule showing the payer s name, social security or tax identification number, and the amount of interest received in If you hold a note, such as a seller financed mortgage, please provide a copy of the amortization schedule with notation indicating payments received in TAX EXEMPT INTEREST INCOME: Did you receive any tax-exempt interest income? If so, please submit copies of statements from payers. In addition, if you invested in a municipal bond fund, please submit a copy of the schedule showing the source of income by state (should be with your December or January statement). 5. DIVIDEND INCOME: Did you receive any dividend income? Please submit copies of any 1099-DIV statements you received, or the annual investment account statement(s). 6. MAINE RESIDENT PROPERTY TAX PROGRAM REFUND: If you applied for and received a Maine income tax refund under the Maine Residents Property Tax Program, please either enter the amount received, or submit a copy of the Maine information return: Maine Residents Property Tax Program payments received in 2018: _ 7. ALIMONY: If you received alimony, please enter the amount: _ 2018 Tax Law Change For payments required under divorce or separation agreements reached after December 31, 2018, the tax deduction for alimony payments is eliminated and alimony recipients will no longer include the payments in taxable income. 8. SELF EMPLOYMENT INCOME AND EXPENSES: If you used a vehicle or vehicles for business purposes, including the management of rental property, please enter the mileage information here: Vehicle #1 Vehicle #2 Vehicle #3 Vehicle description: Total business miles: Total commuting miles: Total other personal (non-commuting) miles: MEALS AND ENTERTAINMENT: Only 50% of business related meals and entertainment expenses are deductible. If you included meals and entertainment in a more general account category, such as travel and entertainment, please review your records and break out the meals and entertainment portion. Note: Tax regulations require that taxpayers maintain records sufficient to document the business purpose of all meal and entertainment deductions. If you are claiming meals and/or entertainment expenses, do you have the required records? 5

6 HOME OFFICE DEDUCTION: Do you anticipate taking a home office deduction this year. If so, please provide a summary of your home operating expenses (i.e. utilities, home owner s insurance, repairs and maintenance, capital improvements, snow removal, etc.). BUSINESS EQUIPMENT: If you acquired furniture, equipment, or a vehicle, please prepare a schedule showing: 1) description of item purchased, 2) cost, and 3) date placed in service. If you disposed of furniture, equipment, or a vehicle during the year, please prepare a schedule showing: 1) description, 2) selling price, 3) date of sale. BUSINESS LOANS: If you made payments on business loans, including loans secured by vehicles used for business purposes, please determine the interest paid in 2018, or submit information sufficient for the preparation of an amortization schedule. 9. CAPITAL GAINS AND LOSSES: Did you sell any investment property, stocks, mutual fund shares, municipal bonds, or other property of any kind during 2018? If so, please submit Forms 1099-B. If any of the cost data is missing, please provide the original cost, and the date of acquisition. 10. IRA DISTRIBUTIONS: Did you withdraw funds from your IRA account, or roll over any amounts from one account to another? If so, please provide the documents (generally a 1099-R) with the details. If you or your spouse were 70 ½ or older at year end, are you receiving your required annual minimum distributions from all your retirement accounts? 11. PENSIONS AND ANNUITIES: Did you receive any payments or total distributions from a pension plan or annuity? Please submit copies of any 1099-R forms you received. 12. RENTAL PROPERTY: In addition to a summary of income and expenses, please provide a schedule showing the description, cost, and date placed in service of any new appliances or building or land improvements. 13. ESTATES, TRUSTS, PARTNERSHIPS, AND S CORPORATIONS: These entities report items of tax consequence to beneficiaries, partners, and shareholders on Form K-1. Were you a beneficiary, partner, or subchapter S corporation shareholder in 2018? Please submit a copy of each K-1 you received. (NOTE: Ignore this request if we prepare the entity's tax returns.) 14. UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION: Did you or your spouse receive unemployment compensation benefits during 2018? If so, please provide the annual information return. 15. SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS: Did you receive social security benefits? If yes, please submit Form SSA OTHER INCOME: Did you receive any other income during the year, such as jury fees, director's fees, prizes, etc. Description: Amount: Description: Amount: 6

7 17. IRA DEDUCTION: Please enter the IRA contribution you made, or plan to make, for contributions can be made until April 17, The maximum contribution for 2018 is $5,500, or $6,500 if you were 50 or older in You must have been under 70 ½ at the end of the year to be eligible to contribute. To a regular IRA: Taxpayer: Spouse: To a Roth IRA: Taxpayer: Spouse: 18. SELF-EMPLOYED SEP DEDUCTION: Please enter the SEP (Simplified Employer Pension) contribution you made or plan to make for If you want us to compute your maximum contribution, please so indicate. SEP contributions can be made as late as the due date of the return, including extensions. Taxpayer: Spouse: 19. ALIMONY PAID: Enter the amount of any alimony you paid in 2018: or: Please Maximize and advise. Amount paid: Recipient's social security number: (if not on last year s return). 20. Enter the amount of any penalties you incurred on the early withdrawal of savings: 21. MOVING EXPENSES: Moving expenses incurred in 2018 are not deductible, except for active duty military. Expenses paid in 2018 for a move completed in 2017 are deductible. Did you pay any moving in 2018 that were incurred in 2017? 22. STUDENT LOAN INTEREST: Did you pay any interest on student loans in 2018? If so, please provide the annual statement from the lender. 23. ITEMIZED DEDUCTIONS: If you itemize deductions, please complete the following Tax Law Change Please note: the 2018 standard deduction increased to $12,000 for single taxpayers and for taxpayers who are married and filing separately, and to $24,000 for taxpayers who are married-filing-jointly. The bill also limits the total amount of state and local property, income, and sales taxes that can be deducted to $10,000. In the past, these taxes have generally been fully deductible. The mortgage interest deduction: If you buy a home between 2018 and 2026, you can deduct the interest on up to $750,000 in mortgage debt used to purchase or improve the property MEDICAL AND DENTAL EXPENSES: Enter the amounts you paid for the following (include amounts for dependents, and submit a separate schedule for any medical expenses paid on behalf of a non-dependent child. Note that only those medical expenses exceeding 7.5% of your Adjusted Gross Income are deductible. Doctors, dentists, nurses, hospitals, prescription medicine: Insurance premiums for medical and dental care: Amounts paid for medical related transportation and lodging, while away from home to receive medical care in a hospital or medical care facility (must not exceed $50 per night per qualified person, including a parent accompanying a child.): 7

8 Amount paid for meals during these trips: Amounts paid for other expenses such as hearing aids, dentures, eyeglasses, contact lenses, medical supplies, program to stop smoking, weight loss program as treatment for a specific diagnosed disease; Enter the amount of any insurance reimbursement you received in 2018 for any of the 2018 expenses listed above: Enter the amount of any insurance reimbursement you received in 2018 for 2017 or earlier year medical expenses that were deducted on prior returns Enter the number of medical related miles you drove in 2018: Enter the amount of medical related tolls and parking fees: Enter any premiums you paid for long-term care insurance Taxpayer Spouse REAL ESTATE AND EXCISE TAXES PAID: Enter the amount of taxes you paid in 2018: Real estate taxes: NOTE: If your real estate taxes are paid by a bank from a mortgage escrow account, enter the amount that was paid from the escrow account, or note Attached and include the bank s information schedule: Excise taxes on automobiles, boats, etc.: INTEREST EXPENSE PAID: Enter the amount of interest you paid in 2018, and submit copies of any forms 1098 you received, or simply note SEE 1098 Home mortgage interest reported on Form(s) 1098 (please submit forms) for a first or second mortgage that was obtained to purchase or Improve your primary or secondary residence, NOT INCLUDING HOME EQUITY LOAN INTEREST (see below) Home equity loan interest enter the amount reported on Form 1098 If you paid home equity loan interest, what percentage of the equity loan s outstanding balance was used to build an addition or structurally alter the property % Any home mortgage interest not reported on Form 1098: (please provide details) NOTE: Home mortgage interest includes amounts paid for mortgages secured by a main home or a second home. A home may be a boat or a summer camp as long as basic living accommodations, including sleeping space, and toilet and cooking facilities are provided. In order to use the deduction for home mortgage interest, the taxpayer must have paid interest attributable to either 1) acquisition indebtedness of up to $750,000, with respect to any primary residence or second home. Acquisition indebtedness is indebtedness which is incurred in acquiring, constructing, or substantially improving any qualified residence, which is secured by such residence. Home equity indebtedness is defined as any indebtedness secured by a qualified residence to the extent that the amount does not exceed 1) the fair market value of that qualified residence, minus 2) the amount of acquisition indebtedness with respect to that residence. Based on the rules explained in the note above, can you reasonably conclude that all of your mortgage interest is deductible: If you are not certain, I will contact you to discuss your situation and compile the information Required to take the appropriate home mortgage interest deduction. 8

9 Mortgage Insurance Premiums (PMI) paid to lender are no longer deductible. Interest paid on other loans used for investment purposes: GIFTS TO CHARITY: You can deduct contributions you made to organizations that are qualified by the IRS as religious, charitable, educational, scientific, or literary in purpose. Enter the total amount of such contributions. Note: you can no longer deduct cash contributions unless you have written confirmation from the charity, irrespective of the amount. Other contributions (enter the fair market value of any property you contributed): Please submit a description of items contributed if the total of all such non-cash contributions were $500 or more. Include the date of the contribution, the recipient organization s name and address, the date you acquired the item, how it was acquired (purchase or gift), your cost basis, the fair market value on the date you made the donation, and the method used to determine the fair market value (appraisal, good faith estimate, estimated lawn sale value, goodwill estimate, etc.) Expenses incurred in performing volunteer work for charitable organizations: Miles driven: Other out of pocket expenses such as parking fees and tolls, supplies, toll calls: Meals expenses incurred while doing charitable work: CASUALTY AND THEFT LOSSES are no longer deductible unless related to a federally declared disaster. OTHER ITEMIZED DEDUCTION: All miscellaneous deductions (that is, those deductions that were formerly deductible only to the extent that the total of such deductions exceeded 2% of Adjusted Gross Income) are eliminated. LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE PREMIUMS are deductible in the State of Maine even if you don t itemize deductions on your federal return. If you had long-term care insurance, and did not enter the amount above because you do not itemize, please enter the amount you paid in premiums in 2018: Taxpayer Spouse 24. EDUCATOR EXPENSES: IF you were a teacher in grades K-12 for at least 900 hours during the year, and you paid certain ordinary and necessary books, supplies, equipment and other materials used in the classroom or for professional development courses related to the curriculum you teach or to the students you teach, you can deduct up to $250 ($250 for each spouse if married). If you incurred such expenses during 2018, please enter the amount: Taxpayer Spouse 9

10 25. CHILDCARE CREDIT: Did you pay an individual or organization to care for a dependent under 13 years old in order to enable you to work, or to attend school full time? If "yes", please complete the following: Name(s) of dependent(s) cared for How much was spent for each child? Name, address, and identification number of childcare providers: Name and Address ID# Amount 26. DEDUCTIONS AND CREDITS/DEDUCTIONS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION TUITION: Did you incur tuition and/or fees for higher education expenses? (Note, expenses for books and room and board do not qualify.) If so, please provide a copy of the college or university s Form 1098-T, and list any other expense Incurred in the fifteen months ended March 31, 2019, for a qualified taxpayer or dependent: 27. HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS: Did you receive a distribution from or make a qualified deductible contribution to a health savings account or a medical savings account? If so, please provide the financial institution s account statement showing 2018 contributions and distributions, as well as any Forms 1099-SA you received reporting any withdrawals. If you withdrew funds, were all withdrawals used to pay qualified health care expenses like Doctor visits and prescription medications? 28. IRA conversion to ROTH. Did you convert or roll over any amounts to a Roth IRA? If so, please provide the details. 29. ESTIMATED TAX PAYMENTS: If you made estimated tax payments for the tax year 2018, please complete the following schedule. Please do not include any payments made in 2018 for the 2017 tax year. Please do include all payments made in 2018 and 2019 for the 2018 tax year. Federal State Date Paid Amount Date Paid Amount 10

11 30. Energy Credits (see Form 5695 instructions, for complete details). Residential Energy Efficient Property Credit. You may be able to take a credit of 30% of your costs of qualified solar electric property, solar water heating property, small wind energy property, geothermal heat pump property, and fuel cell property, including labor costs. Nonbusiness Energy Property Credit. You may be able to take a credit for any improvements (not original construction costs of a new home) to your primary residence in 2018, if they meet certain requirements of energy efficiency. Please note that this credit now has a lifetime limit of $500, of which only $200 can be for windows (or $2000 in window costs). Subject to the lifetime limit, only 10% of qualified energy efficiency improvements are allowed. If your total energy property credits from 2005 through 2017 totaled $500, you cannot take the credit in Qualified energy efficiency improvements are the following building envelope components installed on or in your main home: insulation, exterior windows and skylights, exterior doors, and a metal roof with appropriate pigmented coating If you believe you qualify for either of these credits, please provide a copy of the equipment invoice and documentation of the appropriate efficiency certification, along with a summary of costs incurred. The credit is considered earned and available on the day such equipment is placed in service. 31. OTHER QUESTIONS: a. Do you expect a large fluctuation in your income or withholding in 2019? b. Do you have any worthless stock, or loans that became uncollectible in 2018? c. Has the IRS or any state agency advised you of any changes to a prior return? d. Did you receive funds from any legal proceeding during 2018? f. Were there any other events or transactions in 2018 that need to be considered? 32. MAINE RETURN The Maine return includes a section that allows you to make a contribution to certain specified organizations. Please enter any contributions you would like to make below: Endangered and Nongame Wildlife Maine Children s Trust Companion Animal Sterilization Fund Maine Military Family Relief Fund Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery Maine Public Library Fund The Maine return also includes a schedule to request park passes. If you would like to apply for park passes, please complete the following: Number of individual Day-use park passes (cost = $55 each) Number of vehicle Day-use park passes (cost = $105 each) If you paid rent for a Maine residence during 2018, please enter the amount (you may qualify for the Maine Property Tax Fairness Credit). Did your rent cover utilities? 11