IRS
Check a federal refund
Use Where’s My Refund? Have your tax ID, filing status, tax year and exact refund amount from the return ready. Enter those details only on the IRS website.
TAX RESOURCES
Your next tax step, made clearer.
Get ready for your appointment, check a refund or find the right next step when a tax letter arrives. Practical guidance from Rami’s office, with direct links to the IRS and Illinois Department of Revenue.
01 · BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT
Bring the details that tell your story.
Start with the essentials, then open the categories that apply to you. This is a preparation guide, not a list of deductions you automatically qualify for. Let the office know if a document is missing.
R H ADVISORS GROUP INC · (773) 338-3050
Your tax appointment checklist
Check the items relevant to your return. Confirm the appointment location and how to provide records securely.
Arrange a secure way to share your records.
Do not put Social Security numbers, bank details, tax returns or identity documents in the website inquiry form or an ordinary email. Call the office for document instructions.
Check items as you gather them. Nothing is saved or sent.
Self-employment, gig work & a small business
Official preparation guidance
Rental property, investments & asset sales
Official preparation guidance
A move, a new family situation or a major change
Official preparation guidance
02 · THE FILING PROCESS
Know what happens next.
A little preparation makes the conversation more useful. Keep track of what is still needed and what has been completed.
Discuss your situation
Identify the tax year, income sources and changes in your life. Confirm the service, appointment location and records needed with the office.
Review before authorizing
Check names, tax ID numbers and bank details. Ask about anything you do not understand before signing or authorizing a return.
Keep the final records
Retain your return, filing confirmation and payment receipts. If filing electronically, confirm acceptance; preparing or signing a return does not itself confirm acceptance.
Need more time to file?
An extension gives you more time to file, not more time to pay. A federal individual extension generally must be requested by the regular filing deadline. Illinois grants an automatic filing extension for individual returns, but tax is still due by the original payment deadline. Contact Rami before the deadline to discuss what is needed.
Which deadline and forms should I use?
Use the instructions for the tax year and return type involved. Weekend, holiday, disaster-relief and special filing rules can change a deadline. The IRS and Illinois have current and prior-year form directories; check the year printed on a form before using it.
03 · AFTER FILING
Track your refund. Understand a balance.
Federal and Illinois returns have separate refunds, payments and accounts. Start with the agency handling the return you want to check.
Federal · IRS
IRS
Make a federal tax payment
Compare bank, card and other payment methods. IRS Direct Pay offers bank payments without an account; card processors may charge fees.
IRS
Explore an IRS payment plan
Review eligibility, costs and application steps for paying over time. The options depend on your balance and filing circumstances.
State · Illinois
Illinois Department of Revenue
Check an Illinois refund
Check processing with MyTax Illinois. The state refund page also links to the Comptroller’s tool for refunds released for payment.
Illinois Department of Revenue
Make an Illinois tax payment
Use Illinois’s own payment options, including MyTax Illinois. Select the correct payment purpose and tax year; save your receipt.
Illinois Department of Revenue
Explore an Illinois payment plan
Illinois generally requires the balance to reach Collections before a plan is available. Check the state’s instructions and your notice; do not assume the IRS process applies.
Before you make a payment
Check the agency, tax year, payment type and amount. Save the confirmation. A payment to the IRS does not pay your Illinois balance, and a payment plan with one agency does not cover the other.
My refund is delayed or different from my return. What now?
Read the official status message and any letter explaining an adjustment. Follow requests for information rather than filing another original return. Refund timing varies; a return’s acceptance is not a guarantee of a payment date.
I cannot pay in full. Should I wait to file?
Do not assume that delaying a return will help. Filing and paying are separate obligations. Contact the office promptly and review the relevant agency’s payment options. Interest, penalties or plan fees may still apply; a request is not an approved agreement.
04 · DURING THE YEAR
Give next year’s return a head start.
A second job, a growing business or a move into retirement can change how tax is paid during the year. Bring those changes into the conversation before the next filing season.
IRS
Check federal withholding
For wages or pension income, use recent pay statements and your prior return to estimate withholding. The result does not change payroll automatically; follow the instructions for updating the appropriate form.
IRS
Understand federal estimated taxes
Income without enough withholding, including freelance or investment income, may require payments during the year. Review the current instructions and payment dates with your circumstances in mind.
Illinois Department of Revenue
Check Illinois estimated-payment rules
Illinois has its own requirements and calculations. Publication 105 explains who may need estimated payments, when they are due and where to find the related forms.
Keep a payment record
Record each payment’s date, amount, tax year and agency. Revisit estimates when income changes; do not assume last year’s amount or a calendar-quarter end date is right for this year.
05 · WHEN SOMETHING NEEDS ATTENTION
Start with the document in front of you.
Tell Rami what is missing, what changed or which agency contacted you. For a letter, note the tax year and response deadline when you call; arrange to share the full notice securely.
I am missing a W-2 or an income statement.
Ask the employer or payer for the missing or corrected statement first. Keep any pay records and a note of your request. The IRS explains the next steps for a missing W-2; let the office know before filing with incomplete information.
I need a prior return or a record of payments.
An IRS transcript can help retrieve tax-return or account information. A transcript is not a full photocopy of a return, and recent information may not be available yet. IRS Online Account also shows balances, payment history and available notices. Sign in only through the IRS website; keep your login private.
I received an IRS or Illinois letter.
Read every page, identify the notice number and mark the response deadline. Compare it with your return and keep a copy. The agency’s instructions explain whether a response is required and how to send it. Ask Rami about the assistance available for your particular notice.
I found an error after filing.
Keep the original return and the new or corrected document. A change to income, dependents or another return item may require an amended return; some agency corrections do not. Discuss both federal and state effects. Illinois has separate amendment rules and deadlines. An amended federal return has its own status tool.
06 · KEEP YOUR INFORMATION SAFE
Use official channels for sensitive details.
Open IRS and Illinois tools through the links below or type the government address yourself. Our website does not collect tax identifiers, account logins or payments.
IRS
Get or retrieve an IRS Identity Protection PIN
An IP PIN helps prevent someone else from filing with your tax ID. It changes each calendar year. Use the current PIN and share it only with your tax preparer when needed for filing.
IRS
Recognize and report tax scams
Check current IRS warnings, ways to verify a contact and reporting instructions. Be cautious of urgent payment demands or social-media promises of easy refunds.
Illinois Department of Revenue
Respond to an Illinois identity-verification letter
If Illinois sent you an identity-verification letter, use the official instructions for that letter. The state provides specific ways to respond; do not submit identity documents through our inquiry form.
An unexpected message deserves a pause.
Do not use a link in an unexpected text or email to enter tax or bank details. Verify the request through the agency’s official website. If you are unsure about a message referring to Rami’s office, call the published office number.
PUT THE GUIDE TO WORK
A useful starting point. A person to speak to.
Bring your questions to Rami Hashlamoun. Discuss your return, the records you have and the next step for your situation.
Contact Rami’s officeOfficial resources reviewed October 8, 2026. Tax rules, deadlines and tool availability can change. Check guidance for your tax year; this general guide does not determine your individual filing requirements or eligibility.