Where’s my refund?
How to track a federal refund with the IRS tool, and what the timing really looks like.
Free tools & official links
Every official tax tool you need, in one place.
We keep these pointed at the live IRS and New York State sites rather than leaving old bookmarks up. Bookmark this page and skip the search ads.
A word of warning. The IRS does not begin contact by text message, email or social media, and it does not demand payment in gift cards or cryptocurrency. If something claiming to be the IRS reaches you that way, it is not the IRS. When in doubt, sign in to your IRS online account or call us at (646) 389-0043.
Refunds & your IRS account
The four pages that answer most of the questions people call us about.
Where’s my refund?
Federal refund status. Usually live about 24 hours after an e-filed return is accepted, or four weeks after mailing a paper return.
irs.govWhere’s my amended return?
Amended returns are slow by design. This is the tracker for them, and it can take three weeks just to appear.
irs.govYour IRS online account
Balance owed, payment history, notices, and your tax records in one place. Worth creating before you need it.
irs.govGet your transcript
Wage, income and account transcripts. This is how we rebuild years when the paperwork is long gone.
irs.govPaying the IRS
If you owe, these are the official options. Talk to us before you commit to one, because the cheapest-looking choice often is not.
All payment options
Every method the IRS accepts, with the fees and processing times for each.
irs.govDirect Pay from your bank
Free, direct from a checking or savings account, no processor fee. Usually the right choice.
irs.govPayment plans & installment agreements
What agreements exist, who qualifies, setup fees, and what happens if you miss one.
irs.govEstimated tax (Form 1040-ES)
For self-employed income, and the quarterly deadlines that catch people in their first year.
irs.govWithholding & paycheck planning
The cheapest tax planning there is: getting your withholding right before December.
Tax Withholding Estimator
The IRS calculator that tells you whether your paycheck withholding leaves you owing next April.
irs.govRun the estimator now
Straight into the tool itself. Have your most recent pay stub and last year’s return in front of you.
apps.irs.govForm W-4 explained
The form you give your employer. It changed substantially in 2020, so old advice about "allowances" no longer applies.
irs.govForm W-4, fillable PDF
The form itself. Fill it on screen or print it, then hand it to your payroll department.
irs.govForms & publications
Straight to the source. We link the current IRS index rather than a copy that goes stale.
All forms & instructions
The main IRS index for every current form and its instructions.
irs.govSearch forms, instructions & publications
Search by number or keyword when you know roughly what you are looking for.
irs.govForm 4868 - extension to file
The personal extension form. Remember it extends filing, not paying.
irs.govForm W-9
What a client or payer sends you before issuing a 1099, and what to fill in.
irs.govForm 1099 general instructions
Which 1099 applies, who has to issue one, and the filing deadlines.
irs.govPublication 17
The IRS plain-language guide to the individual income tax return. Genuinely readable.
irs.govDeadlines & calendars
Business deadlines arrive more often than April 15. These are the official calendars.
IRS tax calendar for businesses
The interactive calendar of federal business filing and deposit dates.
irs.govEmployment tax due dates
Payroll deposit and return deadlines. The penalties here are steeper than most people expect.
irs.govPublication 509, tax calendars
The annual federal filing and deposit calendar, in full and readable on screen rather than as a download.
irs.govYour rights & getting help
You have specific, enumerated rights when dealing with the IRS. Most people never hear about them.
Taxpayer Bill of Rights
Ten rights every taxpayer has. Worth ten minutes of reading before any IRS conversation.
irs.govTaxpayer Advocate Service
An independent organization inside the IRS that helps when normal channels have stalled.
taxpayeradvocate.irs.govIRS Independent Office of Appeals
How to dispute an IRS decision without going to court.
irs.govInteractive Tax Assistant
The IRS answers common questions by walking you through them. Surprisingly good.
irs.govLet us help you
Official IRS phone numbers and contact routes, so you are not calling a number off a search ad.
irs.govIdentity theft & scams
Tax-related identity theft is common and getting more convincing. These are the official defenses.
Identity Theft Central
What to do if someone has filed using your Social Security number, step by step.
irs.govGet an Identity Protection PIN
A six-digit PIN that stops anyone else e-filing a return in your name. Free, and we recommend it.
irs.govIRS Newsroom
Official announcements. If a "new IRS rule" is real, it is here, not in a text message.
irs.govCheck a preparer’s credentials
What the different preparer credentials mean, and who may represent you before the IRS.
irs.govStarting or running a business
The federal side of setting up, plus where New York State actually collects. We walk clients through both.
Apply for an EIN
Your federal employer identification number, free and direct from the IRS. Never pay a third party for this.
irs.govFree filing options
The official free options and who qualifies. Useful to know even if you use us.
irs.govNew York State Department of Taxation and Finance
State income tax, sales tax and withholding. The other half of the picture for New Yorkers.
tax.ny.govNYS Online Services account
Where New York State filings, payments and sales tax returns are actually made.
tax.ny.gov
Short videos
Two minutes each, straight from the IRS.
Official IRS explainers on the things clients ask about most. No sales pitch, no fluff, and nothing that will be out of date next season.
Your IRS online account
What the account shows you: balance owed, payment history, notices and tax records.
Do I need a new W-4?
When to hand your employer a new Form W-4 so your withholding stops drifting.
Estimated tax payments
Who has to pay quarterly, how the amount is figured, and when each payment is due.
Notice CP2000 explained
What a CP2000 actually means and what to do whether you agree with it or not.
How to pay the IRS
Every payment method the IRS accepts, including the electronic options worth using.
Setting up a payment plan
Applying online for an installment agreement when paying in full is not possible.
Identity Protection PIN
How an IP PIN stops someone else from filing a return in your name.
Extension of time to file
How to get more time to file, and why it is not more time to pay.
These videos are published by the Internal Revenue Service on its official channel. They explain federal rules in general terms and are not advice about your specific situation. Talk to us about your circumstances before you act on any of it.
Records
How long should you keep tax records?
General guidance, not a rule for every case. When in doubt, keep it, or ask us.
| Keep for | What, and why |
|---|---|
| 3 years | The ordinary window for the IRS to question a filed return. Keep the return and everything supporting it at least this long. |
| 6 years | If you left out more than 25 percent of your gross income, the window widens to six years. |
| 7 years | Records supporting a bad debt deduction or a worthless securities claim. |
| 4 years | Employment tax records, counted from the date the tax became due or was paid, whichever is later. |
| Ownership plus 3 years | Property records: purchase documents, improvements, depreciation. You need these to work out the gain when you sell. |
| Indefinitely | Any year you did not file, or filed fraudulently. There is no time limit on those. |
| Permanently | The tax returns themselves. They are small, and there is always a reason you wish you still had them. |
If a bank, insurer or creditor sets its own retention requirement, follow whichever period is longer.
Before you shred anything, scan it with the app. Storage is cheap now and reconstructing a destroyed record from an IRS transcript is not.
Ready when you are
Tell us what you need. A pro takes it from there.
Five short steps. We call or text you back with a plan, a real quote, and exactly what to gather.