As we move into tax season, one of the most common questions we hear every year is:
What tax documents should I expect from my investment accounts—and when will they be ready?

Setting expectations early can help reduce stress and prevent filing too soon with incomplete information.

Common Tax Forms You May Receive

Depending on the accounts you hold and the activity during the year, you may receive one or more investment-related tax forms.

The most common is Form 1099. This form reports interest, dividends, and investment activity in taxable brokerage accounts.

If you took withdrawals from a retirement account during the year, you should expect Form 1099-R, which reports those distributions.

You may also receive Form 5498, which reports IRA contributions, rollovers, and required minimum distributions. This form is primarily informational and is not typically required to file your tax return.

A Common Point of Confusion: Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs)

If you made qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) from an IRA, it’s important to know how they appear on your tax documents.

Your 1099-R will not identify a distribution as a QCD. It will simply show the total amount distributed from the IRA. This is normal and often causes confusion.

Because of this, QCDs must be reported correctly on your tax return using additional documentation. We track QCDs carefully for our clients and provide separate reporting for you and your tax professional to ensure you receive the intended tax benefit.

When Will These Forms Be Available?

Although the IRS begins accepting tax returns in late January, investment tax forms often take longer to finalize.

Mutual funds and other investments can issue late corrections, so custodians delay releasing final forms to reduce the likelihood of amended documents later.

In most cases:

• Forms 1099 are finalized and available in mid- to late February
• Form 5498 is typically issued later in the spring, often in May

As soon as your documents are ready, they will be posted to your client portal (if you work with our team), and you’ll be notified.

A Simple Planning Tip

If you work with a CPA or tax preparer, it’s helpful to let them know that investment-related forms may arrive later than W-2s or other income documents.

And if anything you receive raises questions—or doesn’t look quite right—our team is always here to help you sort through it.