Have ChatGPT double-check a draft tax return against source documents before filing
- Posted
- by @BillDA
- Last checked
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- How we verify
Evidence: Described by posterThe person describes what happened in words, without screenshots or video.
Context: A viral post; the tax return itself isn't shared, and the result depends on a complex personal situation.
Outcome
Facing a draft 2025 tax return saying he owed $117,360 more, a poster asked ChatGPT (the Astra model) to do a secondary review, tying every number to source documents in his email and files. It ran for 90 minutes and produced a 15 page report saying he was due a $191,173 refund; he says his accountant reviewed it line by line and agreed. He adds that the AI couldn't have done the return from scratch and he still needs his accountant.
Agent
Prompt Recreated prompt
The source didn't share its exact prompt, so we wrote this from what it describes.
Let's work this out together. I'll tell you what I know, you suggest options and ask what you need, and we'll narrow it down step by step. Nothing gets booked, bought or sent until I say so. Goal: Let's review my draft tax return together, checking every figure against my source documents before I file. What I'll share as we go: - The draft return (PDF) - Source documents: income forms, investment and partnership statements, receipts - Last year's return - Notes from my accountant Rules: - Tie each line on the return to a source document and flag anything that doesn't match or has no source. - Look for items copied from a prior year by mistake and for missing documents. - Explain each issue in plain language and estimate its effect. - Don't change or file anything; produce questions for my accountant. - If a site asks for a login, a CAPTCHA or payment details, stop and hand control back to me. - Ask for my OK before you pay, book, send, submit or cancel anything. - Check facts that can change (prices, opening hours, dates, availability, rules) against the official source, and tell me anything you couldn't verify. Output: A report: each issue, the evidence, estimated effect, and a question for the accountant. You'll know it worked when: every flagged issue has been answered by my accountant before filing.
Optional stronger version
Our rewrite with extra checks. The poster didn't test it.
Let's work this out together. I'll tell you what I know, you suggest options and ask what you need, and we'll narrow it down step by step. Nothing gets booked, bought or sent until I say so. Goal: Let's review my draft tax return together, checking every figure against my source documents before I file. What I'll share as we go: - The draft return (PDF) - Source documents: income forms, investment and partnership statements, receipts - Last year's return - Notes from my accountant Rules: - Tie each line on the return to a source document and flag anything that doesn't match or has no source. - Look for items copied from a prior year by mistake and for missing documents. - Explain each issue in plain language and estimate its effect. - Don't change or file anything; produce questions for my accountant. - If a site asks for a login, a CAPTCHA or payment details, stop and hand control back to me. - Ask for my OK before you pay, book, send, submit or cancel anything. - Check facts that can change (prices, opening hours, dates, availability, rules) against the official source, and tell me anything you couldn't verify. - Treat every finding as a question for a qualified tax professional, not a final answer. Output: A report: each issue, the evidence, estimated effect, and a question for the accountant. You'll know it worked when: every flagged issue has been answered by my accountant before filing. Before you finish: re-read my goal and constraints, check your answer against each one, and list anything you assumed or couldn't confirm.
Source
https://x.com/BillDA/status/2107902912772939783
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