Discover every input the tax corpus understands: id, type, whether required, and its documented default. Call this if unsure what information to collect from the user.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
No arguments | |||
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
No annotations are provided, so the description carries full burden. It describes the output as listing inputs, which is clear, but does not disclose potential side effects, authentication needs, or performance considerations. For a read-only listing, this is adequate but not thorough.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
Two sentences: first defines purpose and output, second gives usage guidance. No redundant or vague language. Every sentence earns its place.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
The tool has no parameters and no output schema, but the description fully explains its function and return contents. It tells the agent to use it for user data collection, providing complete context for a simple listing tool.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
There are zero parameters, so baseline is 4. The description adds meaning by specifying what attributes are returned (id, type, required, default), which helps the agent understand the tool's output beyond the empty schema.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description clearly states the tool discovers every input the tax corpus understands, listing specific attributes (id, type, required, default). This distinguishes it from sibling tools that calculate, verify, or search.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
The description explicitly advises to call this when unsure what information to collect from the user, providing a direct usage context. It could be improved by mentioning when not to use it, but the guidance is strong.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
Add one secure layer between your agents and this server.
Each tool has a clearly distinct purpose: calculate_tax handles individuals, calculate_business_tax handles entities, calculate_fiduciary_tax handles estates/trusts, compute_return produces the complete federal return, compute_state_return handles state returns, and the remaining tools cover specific lookups (parameters, rules, facts, dependencies, cliffs, tipped occupations) or verification. Even with overlapping domains (explain_rule, lookup_tax_parameter, search_tax_rules, verify_fact, verify_tax_claim), their roles are sharply delineated.
Tool names follow a clear pattern: compute_return, compute_state_return, calculate_tax, calculate_business_tax, calculate_fiduciary_tax, determine_dependent, explain_rule, find_tax_cliffs, is_tipped_occupation, list_input_facts, lookup_tax_parameter, search_tax_rules, verify_fact, verify_tax_claim. Most use verb_noun (calculate_tax, lookup_tax_parameter, search_tax_rules, verify_fact). Minor deviations: compare_filing_statuses and compute_return use adjective/noun phrases rather than verb_noun, but they're still readable and follow the 'compute/calculate' theme.
15 tools is well-scoped for a comprehensive tax computation server. Each tool covers a distinct aspect of tax law (federal individual, business, fiduciary, state returns, dependency, rule lookup, parameter lookup, validation, cliff detection, fact verification, search). No tool feels redundant, and the count supports the ambitious scope without bloating.
The tool surface covers the full tax workflow: input discovery (list_input_facts), computation (calculate_tax, calculate_business_tax, calculate_fiduciary_tax, compute_return, compute_state_return), dependency determination (determine_dependent), rule/parameter lookup (explain_rule, lookup_tax_parameter, search_tax_rules), verification (verify_fact, verify_tax_claim), and specialized analysis (find_tax_cliffs, is_tipped_occupation, compare_filing_statuses). There's no obvious gap; the only potential missing feature is payroll tax computation, but that's outside the stated domain of income tax.
