Qualified tips
Keep payroll, point-of-sale, and daily tip records. Do not assume every gratuity or occupation qualifies.
2026 · U.S. federal + Illinois
Build your 2026 tax file as you go.
Track records during the year, before filing season. Your 2026 return is generally filed in 2027, and every suggested fact still needs your confirmation.
STEP 1 OF 3
Add your first document
Begin with a 2026 pay statement, estimated-tax confirmation, bank or broker statement, payment-app record, receipt, or another document that may matter later.
PDF, JPG, PNG, WebP, XLS, XLSX, or CSV · up to 20 MBNorthstar does not calculate your return
AI can organize and explain evidence. Only a tested, versioned 2026 U.S. federal + Illinois rules release may produce authoritative calculations; calculations stay disabled until that release is validated.
2026 FEDERAL RECORDKEEPING
Separate these records now—not at filing time
These provisions can require facts that are easy to lose. Northstar collects evidence but does not decide eligibility or calculate a deduction.
Qualified overtime
Keep pay statements that separate regular pay from the overtime premium. Not every overtime arrangement qualifies.
Personal vehicle-loan interest
Keep lender statements, purchase documents, VIN, and final-assembly evidence. Lease payments do not qualify.
Age 65+ deduction
Keep age, filing-status, Social Security number, and income support. Eligibility and phaseouts still require rules review.
Official referenceIRS individual and worker provisions ↗
Final 2026 forms, instructions, later guidance, and applicable law control.
SELF-EMPLOYED OR BUSINESS OWNER?
Track a business, freelance work, or music income
Keep each activity’s income, receipts, business purpose, and mixed personal use together—without assuming every purchase is a write-off.
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Instructions inside files are ignoredDocuments are treated as untrusted evidence, never as directions to the application.
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Sensitive values stay minimizedSSNs and account numbers are masked and excluded from ordinary logs.