Estimated tax due dates

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations, the description carries the burden, and it does disclose one important behavior: dates are moved past weekends and DC legal holidays. It does not say how many dates are returned, the format, or whether this is a pure computation with no side effects.

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?

A single well-formed sentence with the resource front-loaded and no filler. Every clause contributes information.

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?

For a one-parameter, zero-required lookup this is close to adequate, but with no output schema the description should hint at the return shape (e.g., four quarterly dates, date format). As written, the agent knows the topic but not what it receives back.

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?

Schema coverage is 100% and the 'year' parameter already documents its type, bounds, and 2026 default. The description's 'for a tax year' merely restates the parameter and adds no format or edge-case guidance (e.g., how out-of-range years are handled).

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?

States a specific resource (IRS quarterly estimated tax due dates) scoped to a tax year, with a concrete behavioral qualifier about weekend/holiday shifting. It is clearly distinct from siblings like estimate or self_employment_tax, though it doesn't explicitly name them.

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 use case is strongly implied — an agent looking up filing deadlines — but there is no explicit when-to-use/when-not statement or reference to an alternative sibling tool. Nothing misleads, but nothing routes either.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.