How tax preparers request a receipt from clients
By Arthur Teboul, DokuTrak · Published
In short
Ask clients for receipts in two groups: business expenses for Schedule C, and charitable gifts if they itemize. For any single donation of USD 250 or more, ask for the charity’s written acknowledgment rather than a card statement, because the IRS requires it. Have the client total each group so receipts support figures instead of replacing them.
Why tax preparers need a receipt
For a self-employed client, receipts back each Schedule C expense line: supplies, equipment, travel, software. For an itemizer, they support charitable contributions on Schedule A. The IRS requires a written acknowledgment from the charity for any single contribution of USD 250 or more, showing the amount and whether anything was received in return; a bank record alone does not meet that rule.
What exactly to ask for
Receipts dated within the tax year, grouped by type, with a short summary of totals by category. For donations, the acknowledgment letters or emails from each charity, and for donated goods, a list of what was given and to whom. Scans or clear photos are fine, as long as the date, vendor and amount are readable.
What to check when it arrives
- Each receipt is dated in the tax year and shows the vendor and amount clearly.
- Business receipts carry a note on their purpose when it is not obvious from the vendor.
- Every single gift of USD 250 or more has the charity’s written acknowledgment, not only a payment record.
Email to send your client
Replace the bracketed parts. The same text fits in the message of a DokuTrak request (up to 1,000 characters).
Subject: Receipts for your expenses and donations
Hi [Client name],
I am ready to work on your deductions and need two sets of receipts for the year.
First, your business expenses, grouped by type (supplies, equipment, travel, and so on) with a total for each. A short note on what an item was for helps when it is not obvious.
Second, your charitable donations. For any single gift of USD 250 or more, please send the letter or email the charity gave you, not just the bank charge.
Scans or clear photos are fine. Could you send everything by [date]? If some receipts are missing, tell me and we will see what other records can stand in.
Thank you, [Your name]
Ask once. DokuTrak does the chasing.
- Your client uploads from one link, with no account and no password.
- Reminders go out on a schedule, by default 2, 5, 10 and 14 days after the request, until the file arrives.
- With AI review switched on in your workspace (it is off by default), each upload gets a first pass that flags a file that is not a receipt or an unreadable or blurry scan. It says so when it is not sure.
- You accept every file or mark it for re-upload, and your client gets the note by email. The AI never accepts a file.