irs-taxpayer-mcp

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get_retirement_strategy

Read-onlyIdempotent

Retrieve detailed guidance on tax-advantaged retirement strategies such as Backdoor Roth, Mega Backdoor Roth, Roth Conversion Ladder, and tax loss/gain harvesting; omit strategy ID to list all.

Instructions

Get detailed info on tax-advantaged retirement strategies like Backdoor Roth, Mega Backdoor Roth, Roth Conversion Ladder, Tax Loss/Gain Harvesting.

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`strategyId`	No	Strategy ID (e.g., 'backdoor_roth', 'mega_backdoor_roth', 'roth_conversion_ladder', 'tax_loss_harvesting', 'tax_gain_harvesting'). Leave empty for all

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`text`	Yes
`error`	No
`isError`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed1 schema field changedv1.2.4Nov 4, 2026
- removedInput schema / additionalProperties
```
Removed value: -false
```

Changed1 schema field changedv1.0.1Sep 7, 2026

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
+  "additionalProperties": false,
+  "properties": {
+    "error": {
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "properties": {
+        "code": {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "message": {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "suggestion": {
+          "type": "string"
+        }
+      },
+      "required": [
+        "code",
+        "message",
+        "suggestion"
+      ],
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    "isError": {
+      "type": "boolean"
+    },
+    "text": {
+      "type": "string"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "text",
+    "isError"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

First observedv0.5.3Feb 25, 2026

TDQS

B3.2/5.0

Behavior3/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, idempotentHint, destructiveHint=false, and openWorldHint=false, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds scoping value by enumerating the strategy families in scope, but says nothing about depth of detail, freshness, or limits. With full annotation coverage the bar is lower, so a 3 is appropriate.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

A single front-loaded sentence with the resource first and the strategy list second; no filler. The inline enumeration is slightly long but each item earns its place by telling the agent what topics are covered.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

This is a simple read-only lookup with one optional parameter, full schema coverage, full annotations, and an output schema, so return-value explanation is unnecessary. The description is complete enough to call correctly; only the sibling differentiation and empty-ID behavior are left implicit.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100% and the single strategyId parameter already documents valid examples and the 'leave empty for all' default. The description only mirrors the same strategy names at a coarser grain (it lumps Tax Loss/Gain Harvesting together), adding no syntax or filtering semantics beyond the schema, so the baseline 3 applies.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description names a specific verb ('Get detailed info') and a specific resource (tax-advantaged retirement strategies), then enumerates the covered strategies, so an agent knows exactly what content it returns. It does not distinguish itself from closely related siblings such as get_retirement_accounts or plan_retirement_withdrawals, which keeps it from a 5.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines2/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The only guidance is implicit in the example list: look up a named strategy. There is no statement of when to prefer this over get_retirement_accounts (account details) or plan_retirement_withdrawals (withdrawal modeling), and no mention of the documented 'leave empty for all' behavior in the description itself.

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

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