Supporting Documents for Preparing an Italian Tax Return (Modello 730 / Modello Redditi)
In an all Italian tax context, most taxpayers will receive, after the end of the tax year, certification of reportable income, tax, and, where relevant, social security contributions, paid to them in the tax year. In these cases the tax return is simply a question of gathering the documents. indeed in recent years the Italian government’s digitalization drive means that the necessary information is already contained within the Cassetto Fiscale – the Tax Agency online portal. This makes an annual Italian tax return a rather simple affari, with the focus on double checking and claiming any deductions that may not have passed through the system (although many healthcare costs will not be reported directly at point of sale).
For foreign source income which has not passed through an Italian intermediary, the taxpayer is starting from scratch. But the same certification-based approach needs to be adopted. This with a view to establish an rigorous audit trail to support the values reflected in the tax return, where they have been converted into Euro, categorized on the basis of Italian tax rules etc. The Italian Tax Agency do not expect you simply to tell them what you received or owned in the year, but also to be able to back the numbers up with relevant documents.
Where income has been received in a non Euro currency more information, by reference to supporting documents is usually necessary in order to apply official monthly exchange rates to receipts of income (e.g. salary, pension, rent and investment income/gains.
The work involved can be more challenging where certification of income or earnings is based on a non calendar year end.
For this reason the work is facilitated by the preparation of information contained in supporting documents in a spreadsheet, This allows non Euro values to be converted into Euro easily. But these spreadsheets cannot substitute the original certification of income/values and must be reconciled to those statements,
The following contains a list of the type of documents you should be looking to gather. It is a long list but only some of the documents will likely be relevant to you.
We will work with you to assist in this process and prepare any necessary spreadsheets which are the pivot between original statements and the tax return, and provide all assistance in the process.
As a starter you will need your personal ID and residency information. If you are already a client we gather this through our onboarding procedures.
Supporting Documents – List
1. Employment Income (Italy & Abroad)
Italian Employment
- CU (Certificazione Unica) from Italian employer(s)
- Severance or bonus documentation (TFR, stock awards, profit sharing)
Foreign Employment
- W‑2 (USA), P60 / P45 (UK) T4 (Canada) Lohnsteuerbescheinigung (Germany)
- Annual salary statements from any foreign employer
- Foreign payslips if annual summary is unavailable
- Foreign tax withholding statements
- Assignment letters (for expats)
- Proof of amount of and payment foreign statutory social security contributions
2. Self‑Employment / Freelance Income
- Foreign 1099‑NEC / 1099‑MISC (USA)
- Foreign invoices issued and received
- Books/ledgers or accounting summaries
- Proof of foreign taxes paid
- VAT returns (if applicable abroad)
3. Pension Income
Italian Pensions
- CU (Certificazione Unica) from Italian pension provider
Foreign Pensions
- Annual pension income
- Foreign payslips
- Foreign tax withholding statements
- Listing or receipts in a spreadsheet with dates of payment
3. Investment Income (Dividends, Interest, Capital Gains)
Foreign Financial Income
- 1099‑DIV, 1099‑INT, 1099‑B (USA)
- Annual brokerage statements (e.g., Schwab, Fidelity, Vanguard, Hargreaves Lansdown etc.)
- Foreign bank annual interest summaries
- Foreign fund statements (including PFIC‑type holdings)
- Crypto exchange annual statements (Binance, Coinbase, Kraken)
- Transaction histories for capital gains calculations
- Foreign tax vouchers showing withholding tax
Italian Financial Income
- Italian bank certificazioni for interest/dividends (but these may not need to be reported as most Italian financial institutions apply tax at source in full satisfaction of the recipient’s liability.
- Italian broker rendiconto annuale
4. Real Estate Income (Italy & Abroad)
Foreign Real Estate
- A copy of the foreign income tax return showing gross receipts and deductible costs. this in itself should be sufficient otherwise:
- Rental income statements
- Lease agreements
- Property tax bills (e.g., council tax, property tax, IMU‑equivalent abroad)
- Mortgage interest statements
- Purchase/sale deeds
- Depreciation schedules (if used abroad)
Italian Real Estate
- Visura catastale
- IMU/TASI payment receipts
- Rental contracts (cedolare secca or ordinary regime)
- Registered lease receipts
5. Other Income
- Unemployment benefits (Italy or abroad)
- Social security statements (SSA‑1099 for US)
- Foreign government benefits (child benefit, maternity, etc.)
- Scholarships or research grants
- Royalties (contracts + payment statements)
6. Deductions & Tax Credits
- Medical expenses (receipts, invoices)
- Education expenses (school/university receipts)
- Mortgage interest (Italy or abroad)
- Life insurance premiums
- Charitable donations (Italy or abroad)
- Childcare expenses
- Private pension contributions (Italy or abroad)
- Home renovation invoices (bonus casa, ecobonus, etc.)
7. Foreign Tax Credits (Form 1116‑type information)
- Proof of foreign taxes paid:
- Foreign tax returns
- Tax assessments
- Withholding statements
- Payment receipts for foreign tax authorities
- Certification by a professional of reportable income and foreign tax due on it
8. Special Cases
Stock options / RSUs:
- Grant, vesting, and sale documentation
- Employer tax statements
Trusts:
- Trust deed
- Annual trust accounts
- Distributions received
Partnership income:
- K‑1 (USA)
- Foreign partnership statements
9. Foreign Assets for RW Form (Monitoring & IVAFE/IVIE)
Bank Accounts & Deposits
- Year‑end balances for each account
- Average annual balance (saldo medio)
- Foreign bank statements (full year)
Investment Accounts
- Portfolio statements
- Year‑end valuations
- List of stocks owned and ISIN or other identifier codes
Real Estate Abroad
- Property valuation (purchase price or local valuation)
- Local property tax statements
- Proof of payment of foreing local proeprty ownerhsip taxes
Pensions & Retirement Accounts
- 401(k), IRA, Roth IRA annual statements
- UK pension annual statements (SIPP, workplace pension)
- Superannuation annual statements
- Foreign social security contributions summaries
Crypto Assets
- Wallet statements
- Exchange transaction histories
- Year‑end valuations
Other Valuables
- Listing and valuations