Take all of the stress out of tax time by getting a head start. Now is the time to start preparing to file your taxes.  Make sure you have kept good records such as doctor bills, hospital bills, prescription receipts, out of pocket job expenses, personal property taxes, real estate taxes, local taxes and charitable contributions.

If you are self-employed you will also need receipts for office rent, office supplies, auto rental, hotel bills, meals, mileage, utilities, payroll taxes, health insurance, licensing fees, conference itineraries, office phone, business cell phone, pager, dues, contract labor and miscellaneous expenses.

There are Tax Preparation Checklists that you can use to help you gather your tax information. Before you begin take a look at Tax Depot's Checklist. It is very informative. You can also search the web for other checklists. They will save you a lot of research time and help to keep the tax process running smoothly.