Resource Center

Official Tax Tools & Calculators

Every tool listed here is operated by the IRS or another government agency. We explain what each one does, who it may help, and where it stops — then send you straight to the official source. Nothing on this page is calculated, hosted, or processed by AEM.

Withholding and eligibility tools

Guided questionnaires published by the IRS. They return general results based only on what you enter.

Internal Revenue Service

IRS Tax Withholding Estimator

Helps employees and certain pension recipients review how much federal income tax is being withheld and consider whether a revised Form W-4 or W-4P may be appropriate.

What you may need: Recent pay statements, information about other household income, and your most recent federal return are generally useful before starting.

Important limitation: Results depend entirely on the information entered and may not account for every circumstance, including some self-employment, investment, multi-state, or nonresident situations.

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Internal Revenue Service

IRS Interactive Tax Assistant

Provides guided answers to a defined list of federal tax questions — filing requirements, dependents, filing status, income treatment, and certain credits and deductions — based on your responses.

Important limitation: Covers selected topics only, addresses general federal rules, and does not consider state tax or the full facts of an individual situation.

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Internal Revenue Service

IRS EITC Assistant

Helps taxpayers explore potential eligibility for the Earned Income Tax Credit and estimate the credit using questions provided by the IRS.

What you may need: Income documents, filing status, and information about any qualifying children are generally needed.

Important limitation: The result is an estimate of general eligibility. Actual eligibility is determined when a return is filed and reviewed by the IRS.

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IRS accounts and payments

Account access and payment channels operated by the IRS. Availability and identity-verification requirements are set by the agency and can change.

Internal Revenue Service

IRS Online Account

Where available, taxpayers may sign in to review certain balances, payment history, transcripts, notices, and other account information.

What you may need: Identity verification through the IRS sign-in process is required. Requirements are set by the IRS.

Important limitation: Not every account feature is available to every taxpayer, and posted information may lag recent activity. Business account features differ from individual ones.

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Internal Revenue Service

IRS Payments (including Direct Pay)

The IRS payments hub lists the available federal payment methods for individuals and businesses. IRS Direct Pay allows individuals to pay certain federal taxes directly from a bank account.

Important limitation: Payment options, eligible tax types, processing times, and any card-processor fees are set by the IRS and change periodically. Confirm the current requirements on the official page before paying.

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Internal Revenue Service

IRS Direct Pay

A no-registration option for individuals to make certain federal tax payments directly from a checking or savings account.

Important limitation: Intended for individual payment types. Businesses generally use EFTPS or another method listed on the IRS payments page.

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Business tax-payment resources

At a high level: individual payment options such as Direct Pay are designed for one-off individual payments, while EFTPS is an enrollment-based federal payment system frequently used by businesses for recurring obligations such as payroll tax deposits.

U.S. Department of the Treasury

Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS)

An official federal tax-payment system used by businesses and individuals to schedule and make federal tax payments, including many payroll and estimated tax deposits.

What you may need: Enrollment is required and can take time to complete. Enrollment steps are described on the official site.

Important limitation: Deposit schedules, deadlines, and enrollment procedures are set by the government and can change. AEM does not collect or transmit payment information.

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Refund tracking

Refund status is controlled by the IRS and by each state revenue agency. Our refund pages send you to the official tools.

Internal Revenue Service (via AEM's guide)

Federal refund status

Our federal refund page explains what you need on hand and links directly to the official IRS “Where's My Refund?” service.

Important limitation: Timing and status are determined solely by the IRS. AEM cannot access, expedite, or influence a refund.

Go to federal refund guide

State revenue agencies (via AEM's directory)

State refund status

A directory of official refund-status pages for all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

Important limitation: Each state operates its own tool with its own timelines and required information. Multi-state filers must check each state separately.

Open state refund directory

Charitable-organization research

For donors, grantmakers, and nonprofit boards verifying an organization's federal status.

Internal Revenue Service

IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search

Lets users review certain information about tax-exempt organizations, including whether an organization is eligible to receive tax-deductible charitable contributions and certain filings on record.

Important limitation: Reflects IRS records as published and may not be current. Eligibility to receive deductible contributions is not the same as deductibility of a particular gift on your return.

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Filing resources

Official information about federal filing options.

Internal Revenue Service

IRS Free File

An IRS page describing free federal filing options offered through participating providers and free fillable forms, along with the current conditions that apply.

Important limitation: Not every taxpayer qualifies, participating providers set their own eligibility criteria, and state filing is not always free. Review the current terms on the IRS page.

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These tools are operated and maintained by the Internal Revenue Service or other applicable government agencies. AEM Accounting Solutions does not operate, control, endorse, warrant, or guarantee the tools, their availability, or their results. Information and estimates produced by these tools are general and may not account for every aspect of your circumstances. Use of an external tool does not create an accountant-client relationship with AEM Accounting Solutions. Consult a qualified tax professional regarding your specific situation.

This page is informational and is not individualized tax, legal, accounting, or financial advice. AEM does not collect, transmit, store, or process any information you enter into an external tool, and no government agency endorses or is affiliated with AEM. Government pages change; verify current requirements on the official site. AEM Accounting Solutions is an Enrolled Agent-led tax and accounting firm and is not a CPA firm. AEM does not provide audits, reviews, compilations, or other attest services.

If a tool raised more questions than it answered

Some situations need a person rather than a questionnaire. If you would like your circumstances reviewed, tell us what you are working through and we will discuss the proposed scope and pricing before any work begins.

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