Your Starting Point for Tax Information & Tools
Prepare for tax season, keep track of deadlines, explore tax figures, and find the right place to check your refund. The CPA at Large Tax Center brings our practical tax resources together with official IRS and state services.
Use it when you are organizing your own return, working with a tax professional, managing a small business, or reviewing a question during the year.
Keep this hub open while you work. Links to other pages and official services open in a new tab. The section shortcuts below stay on this page.
Choose the Resource You Need
Prepare
Free Tax Organizer
Gather the records needed for your return, including household, investment, rental, and business information. Choose the organizer for the tax year you are preparing.
Review
IRS Online Account
Review your individual federal tax balance, payment history, tax records, and available notices directly with the IRS. Account access requires sign-in.
Research
IRS Publications
Find IRS guidance by topic and follow links to official publications. Use the edition that applies to your return or planning question.
Schedule
Tax Due Dates
Find federal filing and payment deadlines for individuals, self-employed taxpayers, and businesses. Review extension rules and special exceptions.
Plan
Tax Rates & Key Figures
Look up federal income tax brackets, standard deductions, investment tax rates, and other planning figures. Start with the correct tax year.
Track
Track Your Refund
Choose the right tracker for your federal, state, or amended federal return. Review what to have ready and where to turn if your refund is delayed.
Tax Year and Filing Year Are Different. A return reporting 2025 income is a 2025 tax return, even when filed in 2026. Use 2026 figures for 2026 tax planning and the 2026 return, generally filed in 2027. Match the organizer, rates, forms, and instructions to the tax year you need.
Prepare to File: A Practical Checklist
Start with these steps whether you prepare the return yourself or use a tax professional:
- Choose the correct organizer. Use the version for your tax year. If a version is labeled preliminary, check for a final update before relying on it for filing. You can start with our Free Tax Organizer.
- Gather income and transaction records. Collect W-2s, 1099s, K-1s, retirement and Social Security statements, brokerage tax packages, and records for business, rental, and digital asset activity that apply to you.
- Gather deductions, credits, and payment records. Include relevant mortgage, education, charitable, childcare, and health coverage documents, along with estimated tax and extension payment confirmations.
- Review changes and carryovers. Have your prior-year return available. Note a move, marriage, dependent change, retirement, new business, property sale, or other event that may affect this year’s return.
- Confirm your deadline and state requirements. Check the return type, extension status, and any applicable disaster relief. Federal and state obligations can differ.
- Keep proof of filing and payment. Save the completed return, e-file acceptance or mailing records, and payment confirmations. A payment confirmation by itself does not show that a return was filed.
Keep completed organizers and supporting documents secure. Share sensitive tax records through the secure method agreed with your tax professional.
Official Tax Services: Go Directly to the Source
Use these destinations when you need to take action or confirm agency instructions. Sign-in, eligibility, supported tax years, and service availability vary.
| What You Need | Official Destination & Purpose |
|---|---|
| Make a Federal Tax Payment | IRS Payment Options (opens in a new tab) Find individual and business payment methods, including options if you cannot pay in full. Select the correct tax year, payment reason, and return type. |
| Get Tax Records | IRS Records & Transcripts (opens in a new tab) Access available return, account, and wage-and-income transcripts. A transcript is not a photocopy of the original return. |
| Review Withholding | IRS Tax Withholding Estimator (opens in a new tab) Estimate federal withholding for a job or pension with withholding. Have recent pay or pension statements available and follow the tool’s eligibility guidance. |
| Check Estimated Tax Rules | IRS Estimated Taxes (opens in a new tab) Review rules for income not fully covered by withholding, including self-employment and investment income. |
| Find a Form or Instructions | IRS Forms & Instructions (opens in a new tab) Search official tax forms and their instructions. Check the year and revision before use. |
| Review Filing Extension Options | IRS Filing Extensions (opens in a new tab) Review individual extension methods and links to other return types. An extension generally gives more time to file, not more time to pay. |
| Look for Free Filing Options | IRS Free File (opens in a new tab) Compare guided software and Free File Fillable Forms. Check current eligibility and filing-season availability; state filing varies by provider, and Fillable Forms does not include state returns. |
| Find Free Preparation Assistance | IRS VITA & TCE Programs (opens in a new tab) Find free basic preparation help for qualifying taxpayers. Confirm local site eligibility, supported return types, and appointment availability. |
| Check Disaster Postponements | IRS Disaster Tax Relief (opens in a new tab) Read the notice for your affected location, taxpayer circumstances, covered deadlines, and relief period. |
North Carolina Tax Resources
For North Carolina returns, use the Department of Revenue’s instructions alongside federal guidance. State filing, payment, deduction, extension, and refund rules require their own review.
- NC Individual Income Tax (opens in a new tab) — Start with filing requirements, rates, estimated taxes, and current notices.
- NC Filing & Payment Options (opens in a new tab) — Review approved filing methods and official payment services.
- NC Forms & Instructions (opens in a new tab) — Choose forms for the correct tax year.
- NC Extension Rules (opens in a new tab) — Confirm how an extension applies to your state return.
- NC Refund Information (opens in a new tab) — Find the official refund-status service and agency instructions.
Filed in another state? Our Track Your Refund (opens in a new tab) page includes state refund destinations. For other state tax questions, consult that state’s revenue agency.
Use the Tax Center Throughout the Year
- After a job or household change: Review withholding and possible changes to filing status, dependents, deductions, and credits.
- When income changes: Review whether withholding or estimated payments need adjustment after business profits, investment sales, rental income, or a retirement distribution.
- Before a major transaction: Review relevant guidance before selling property, starting a business, converting retirement funds, or making a substantial gift.
- Before year-end: Update your records, review payment needs, and check any time-sensitive retirement, business, or deduction decisions.
Use the Tax Rates page for reference figures, the Tax Due Dates page for scheduling, and IRS Publications for the rules behind a topic. A quick-reference table cannot determine every tax consequence of a transaction.
Common Tax Center Questions
Which Tax Year Should I Select?
Use the year of the income being reported. For example, a 2025 return filed in 2026 uses 2025 tax rules and forms. Check the date table separately to find the deadline in the year you are filing.
Does an Extension Give Me More Time to Pay?
Generally, no. A filing extension normally extends the return-filing deadline. Review the original payment deadline and any applicable special relief; interest and penalties can apply to unpaid tax.
Are Federal and State Refunds Tracked Together?
No. Federal and state refunds are processed separately and may arrive on different dates. Use each agency’s tracker and the refund amount from the corresponding return. Amended federal returns have a separate tracking service.
Where Should I Start If I Have Business or Side Income?
Gather income, expenses, asset, and payment records using the organizer. Then check the deadline for your actual tax return type and review estimated tax guidance. An LLC’s legal name alone does not determine its federal return or filing deadline.
Can I File, Pay, or Enter My Tax Details Here?
The Tax Center provides information and links. Filing, payments, refund checks, and account access take place through the appropriate agency or filing provider. This hub has no form for Social Security numbers, bank details, or tax documents.