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Individual tax returns, prepared and signed by an Indianapolis CPA
A 1040 looks simple until a year brings a new job, a house sale, a pension or a 1099-B. We've been preparing individual returns in Indianapolis since 1998, and every one gets a CPA's review before it's filed.
Who we prepare returns for
Most of our individual clients fall into one of four groups, and many cross two or three of them in the same year.
- W-2 householdsTwo paychecks, kids, a mortgage. We check your withholding against what you actually owed, so next year's refund or bill isn't a surprise.
- RetireesPensions, IRA distributions and Social Security, plus required minimum distributions starting at age 73 for most people.
- InvestorsBrokerage 1099-Bs, cost basis that doesn't match, K-1s from partnerships, and capital losses carried forward from prior years.
- Landlords and home sellersRental income on Schedule E, depreciation, and the exclusion on the sale of a main home.
If your situation doesn't fit a box, that's usually the reason to have a CPA prepare it. Filing software asks the questions it was built to ask; it won't notice that the 1099-B cost basis is blank or that an old carryforward dropped off.
Retirees and the senior deduction
The year the paychecks stop is the year your tax return changes the most. The questions shift from W-2 withholding to how much of your Social Security is taxable, whether your pension and IRA withholding is enough, and when distributions are required.
The $6,000 senior deduction, 2025 through 2028
Each filer age 65 or older can take an extra $6,000 deduction, on top of the regular additional standard deduction for age. It starts to phase out once modified adjusted gross income passes $75,000 for single filers or $150,000 for married couples filing jointly. It's temporary, so the planning question is whether to take IRA distributions or Roth conversions while it's available.
We also look at the timing of required minimum distributions, qualified charitable distributions from an IRA, and how a lump-sum pension choice lands on this year's return versus the next ten.
What changed for 2026
The 2025 tax law made the lower TCJA rates permanent and added several deductions that run through 2028. The pieces that show up most on Indianapolis returns:
| Item | 2026 figure |
|---|---|
| Standard deduction | $16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly, $24,150 head of household |
| Child tax credit | $2,200 per child under 17, up to $1,700 of it refundable |
| State and local tax (SALT) cap | $40,400, reduced for incomes above roughly $500,000 |
| Tips deduction | Up to $25,000 of qualified tips, 2025 through 2028 |
| Overtime deduction | The premium half of required overtime, up to $12,500 ($25,000 joint) |
| Indiana income tax | 2.95% flat, plus your county's rate |
The higher SALT cap matters for Indianapolis homeowners with property tax plus state and county income tax. For some households it makes itemizing worth it again, and we check both ways on every return.
What to bring
Check items off as you gather them. Your list stays saved in this browser.
Individual return questions
Sometimes not, and we'll tell you so. Where it pays is the review: catching withholding that's too low, a missed education credit, or a dependent claimed the wrong way. Call and describe your year; the quote tells you whether it makes sense.
Yes. Every individual return includes the Indiana IT-40 and your county tax, and part-year or nonresident returns when you moved or worked in another state.
We file an extension, which moves the filing deadline to October 15. It doesn't extend the time to pay, so we estimate what you'll owe and you pay that by April 15 to avoid the late-payment penalty.
Yes. We prepare amended returns (Form 1040-X and the Indiana amended IT-40) for missed income, missed deductions or a wrong filing status. Refund claims generally have to be filed within three years of the original due date.