Tax season arrives the same way every year.
A pile of documents, a deadline, and the quiet feeling that you’re not entirely sure you’re doing it right.
Most people aren’t trying to game the system. They just want to file correctly, not miss anything they’re entitled to, and avoid problems later. The issue is that tax returns are written for accountants, not for the people filling them in.
This is where AI helps.
What this helps with
Use this when:
- you don’t understand part of your return
- you’re unsure what you can claim
- you want to check for missed deductions or credits
- you received a notice you don’t understand
- you’re filing after a life change
- you want clarity before speaking to an accountant
The simple rule
You don’t need to understand the tax code. You need to understand your return well enough to file it correctly and know when something doesn’t make sense.
AI helps you get there.
Try this
Open Claude, ChatGPT, or any AI tool and paste this:
“I’m working on my tax return and have some questions. Here’s my situation: [employed or self-employed, country, any major changes this year such as a new job, working from home, a property sale, or retirement income]. What should I be making sure I include? What do people in my situation commonly miss? And are there deductions or credits I should look into?”
What you’ll actually get back
Someone had started working from home two days a week after their employer moved to a hybrid model. They’d been doing their own taxes for years but weren’t sure if anything had changed or whether they could claim anything related to working from home.
They described the situation to AI — their employment status, that they worked from home part of the week, and that they owned their home.
What came back explained the difference between employed and self-employed home office claims, what employees can typically claim versus what they can’t, what records are worth keeping, and that the rules had changed in recent years and varied by country. It also flagged that if their employer had a formal hybrid policy, there might be a specific form or process worth checking.
They hadn’t known any of that. They checked. There was a form. They filed it.
That’s what this does — it surfaces what you didn’t know to look for.
Understanding a specific section
“I’m filling in my tax return and don’t understand this section: [paste or describe]. Can you explain what it’s asking for in plain language and what I should enter?”
Checking what you can claim
“I’m self-employed and working on my return. Here are my main expenses this year: [describe]. Which are typically deductible and is there anything I might be missing?”
Understanding a letter or notice
“I received a letter from the tax authority. Here’s what it says: [paste or describe]. Can you explain what this means in plain language and what I need to do?”
Verify it
Tax rules vary by country and change regularly. Use AI to understand your situation and prepare better questions. For anything involving a significant amount of money, a formal dispute, or a complex situation, verify with a qualified tax professional before filing or responding to any official correspondence.
Start with what’s confusing you
Pick the part of your return you’re least sure about. Describe it to AI. Ask what it means and what to do.
That’s enough to get unstuck — and often enough to catch something worth knowing.
What to read next
How to Use AI Before a Banking or Financial Appointment
How to Use AI When You Can’t Pay Your Bills
How to Use AI to Understand Government Benefits
Or visit the Decision Hub