Filing Prep Checklist

Tax year 2026 → filing season 2027. Pick your situation, gather documents, map forms, then run PiggyMath estimators. Prep, not file: we don’t e-file.

By The PiggyMath Editorial Desk Last updated August 12, 2026

The path: situation → forms → tools

Educational prep only — take numbers into software or a CPA to file

1) Choose your situation below → 2) Use the document list → 3) Open each form’s PiggyMath tool → 4) Cross-check forms explained, safe harbor, and Form 2210 before April. Quarterly due dates stay Apr 15 · Jun 15 · Sep 15 · Jan 15.

Your situation

Approx. net profit ($/yr, optional) Used only for the light AMT awareness note — not a Form 6251 calculator.

Expect QBI (§199A) deduction Claim home office Deduct business miles

Prep mode

Plan & set aside

Not TurboTax · Not e-file · Educational checklist

Forms you’ll likely need

Documents to gather

Official forms: IRS Forms & Instructions. Estimated tax: IRS — Estimated Taxes. AMT: IRS AMT overview.

How to use this checklist

Match your situation, gather the documents listed, run the linked PiggyMath estimates, then take records into licensed software or a CPA for the actual return. The forms explainer covers what each form does in plain English. Math sources live on methodology.

Situation branches (plain English)

1099 only — Schedule C + SE, quarterly 1040-ES, then QBI / home office / mileage if they apply. Start with the all-in-one estimator.
W-2 + side hustle — Keep your W-2; still file Schedule C/SE for the hustle. W-2 Social Security wages shrink the SE wage base. See 1099 vs W-2.
Multi-state (light) — Federal SE tax is the same everywhere; state returns and credits are not. Use state comparison and by-state guides — complex residency needs a pro.
Platform / marketplace — Reconcile 1099-NEC/K to books and deduct fees. Threshold checker: 1099-K.
S-corp — Different stack (1120-S, K-1, payroll W-2). PiggyMath helps salary/QBI planning, not e-file.
ACA Marketplace — Add 1095-A / Form 8962 reconciliation via the PTC repayment tool.

Forms map (deep links)

Full plain-English cards live on Freelancer Tax Forms Explained. Quick map:

Schedule C / SE — SE tax · estimator · IRS Sch C / Sch SE
Form 1040-ES — quarterly calculator · deadlines · IRS 1040-ES
Form 8995 / 8995-A (QBI) — QBI calculator
Form 2210 — underpayment helper · IRS Form 2210
Safe harbor — safe harbor calculator (90% current / 100% or 110% prior year)
Set-aside % — set-aside calculator · how much to set aside

Honest limit

PiggyMath estimates federal SE + income tax pieces and related planning math. We do not e-file, prepare a signed return, or replace multi-state CPA work. Use this page to arrive organized — then file with software or a professional.

Frequently asked questions

Does PiggyMath e-file my return?

No. This checklist helps you see which forms and PiggyMath tools apply so you can prep records for tax software or an accountant. We plan and set aside — we don’t e-file.

Which tax year does this checklist cover?

Tax year 2026 income and estimated payments, which you generally finalize during filing season 2027 (returns due around April 15, 2027 unless extended). Quarterly estimated dates stay Apr 15, Jun 15, Sep 15, and Jan 15 of the following year — see the deadlines page.

What is AMT and do freelancers owe it?

Alternative Minimum Tax is a parallel tax system. Most freelancers never trigger it, but high income, large preference items or certain credits can. If your profit is very high, ask software or a CPA to run Form 6251 — PiggyMath only shows an awareness note, not a full AMT engine.

Do I need Form 8962?

If you had Marketplace health coverage with advance premium tax credits, yes — Form 8962 reconciles them. Use our Premium Tax Credit Repayment calculator for a planning estimate.

What if I earned in more than one state?

PiggyMath can compare state tax rates and SE tax context, but multi-state residency and source rules need software or a CPA. Use the multi-state situation branch for a light note, then the state comparison and by-state guides.