Tax appointment checklist and FAQ

About you and your family

• Photo ID for you (and your spouse if filing jointly)
• Social Security numbers (or ITINs) and dates of birth for everyone on the return
• Last year’s federal, Ohio and city returns
• Your bank routing and account number, if you want your refund by direct deposit

Income

• W-2s from every employer. The local boxes (18–20) show which city withheld tax — we need these for your city return
• 1099-NEC or 1099-K for self-employment or side income, plus your income and expense records
• 1099-INT and 1099-DIV for interest and dividends
• 1099-B and any other broker statements for stock or cryptocurrency sales
• 1099-R for retirement distributions and SSA-1099 for Social Security
• 1099-G for unemployment benefits
• Rental property income and expenses

Deductions and credits

• Form 1098 (mortgage interest) and your property tax statement
• 1098-T (tuition) and 1098-E (student loan interest)
• Childcare costs, with the provider’s name, address and tax ID
• Form 1095-A if you had Marketplace health insurance
• Records of any estimated tax payments — federal, Ohio and city

Anything from the tax authorities — letters from the IRS, the State of Ohio or the city where you live or work.

Missing something? Bring what you have. We’ll tell you exactly what’s still needed.

Monday to Friday, 9 am to 6 pm. During tax season — January 1 to April 15 — we’re open every day, 8 am to 9 pm.

Book a time online on our contact page, or call us.

Elena Rusakovich, an IRS-registered tax preparer (PTIN). We prepare individual and small-business returns — federal, Ohio and city returns together.

Every return is different, so we give you a price before we start. Request a free estimate.

Yes, for the city where you live and the city where you work, whether it collects its own tax (Brunswick, Parma, Akron, Canton), uses RITA (Medina, Strongsville and most suburbs) or CCA (Cleveland). If you live in Brunswick and you’re 18 or older, you must file a Brunswick return every year, regardless of income. Brunswick’s rate is 2.0%, and the city collects it directly — not RITA or CCA. If you work in another city, Brunswick’s credit for that city’s tax is capped at 1%, so you may still owe Brunswick. More about Brunswick income tax.

Brunswick doesn’t tax Social Security or pensions. If you’ve filed proof of retirement with the city’s tax department and you have no other taxable income, you don’t need to file. If you have other income — wages, business or rental income — you still file.

April 15 for federal, Ohio and city returns. If it falls on a weekend or holiday, it moves to the next business day.

For your 2025 return, the extended federal deadline is Thursday, October 15, 2026. A federal extension also extends your city return automatically under Ohio law; Brunswick asks you to send the city a copy. An extension gives you more time to file, not more time to pay.

Whether it’s from the IRS or the Ohio Department of Taxation: if it’s about a return we prepared, bring it in — we’ll explain what it means, what it’s asking for, and what the next step is.

No. As an IRS-registered tax preparer (PTIN), Elena can’t represent clients in audits, collections or appeals. If you need that, we’ll tell you plainly — and if the notice is about a return we prepared, we’ll explain it.

Yes — business tax returns, monthly bookkeeping, financial statements, payroll with W-2 and 1099-NEC filings, QuickBooks setup and support, and LLC and business registration. Freelancing? Read our guide to city income tax for freelancers.

Yes. Every federal return asks about digital assets. We help you organize your records and plan ahead, before December 31 where possible.

Yes. We work in English, Russian and Ukrainian, so you can go over your return with us in Russian or Ukrainian if you prefer.

Brunswick, Brunswick Hills, Medina, Hinckley, Valley City, Strongsville and North Royalton, plus Parma, Broadview Heights, Berea, Middleburg Heights and towns across North Ohio within about an hour of Brunswick, including Cleveland, Akron, Canton, Lorain and Elyria.