Official Sources & Review Log
| Authority | Topic | Last Verified | What Changed |
|---|---|---|---|
| IRS | Federal income tax rates and inflation adjustments | 2026-03-21 | 2026 bracket thresholds and standard deduction levels synced to model constants. |
| IRS | Publication 17 filing and taxable income rules | 2026-03-21 | Filing-status interpretation and taxable-income flow aligned with Pub. 17 baseline. |
| IRS | Child Tax Credit guidance | 2026-03-21 | Credit cap assumptions checked and refundable/non-refundable handling notes updated. |
| IRS | Self-employment tax (Schedule SE) | 2026-03-21 | Self-employment tax module retained at 15.3% baseline with wage-cap checks. |
| IRS | Estimated tax guidance (Form 1040-ES) | 2026-03-21 | Quarterly planning references and readiness checklist language refreshed. |
Filing Readiness Pack (Tax)
- W-2, 1099-NEC/INT/DIV and prior-year return
- Dependents SSN and eligibility records
- Deduction support (mortgage interest, SALT, charitable receipts)
- Withholding proof (paystubs or payroll records)
- Estimated payment confirmations (if applicable)
- Collect documents and classify by income/credit/deduction.
- Run baseline estimate and compare to withholding.
- Perform sensitivity test before filing decision.
- Prepare quarterly plan if under-withheld.