Chicago, IL Income Tax Preparation
Stress-free income tax filing for individuals, businesses and nonprofits. We prepare your federal and Illinois returns accurately, claim every deduction you qualify for and e-file on time, so you can stop worrying about tax season.
What is included in every return
- Federal and Illinois returns prepared together
- Every credit and deduction reviewed, not just the obvious ones
- Secure e-filing with direct deposit for refunds
- A second review before anything is filed
- Copies and a summary you can actually understand
- Support if the IRS or Illinois writes to you later
Certified on the platforms our clients use
Tax preparation done by people who look at the whole picture
At Heard & Associates LLC, we make income tax preparation simple, accurate and stress-free for clients across Chicago. Whether you are an individual, a small business or a nonprofit, your return is prepared by a professional who asks the questions software never will: about the side income, the home office, the dependent who moved out in June, the equipment you bought in December.
Returns are filed correctly, deductions are claimed in full and your liability is kept as low as the law allows, while staying fully compliant with federal and Illinois rules. Because we also handle bookkeeping and payroll, business returns are prepared from records we already know.
Need a specific return type? Our tax services page covers individual, S corp, partnership, C corp, trust, HOA and expat returns in detail.
How tax preparation works with us
Four steps from your first upload to a filed return, with no surprises along the way.
Share your documents
Upload to our secure portal, drop them at the office or bring them to a meeting. We send a checklist first so nothing is missed.
We prepare and review
Your preparer builds the return, then a second person reviews it for accuracy, missed credits and anything that could draw a notice.
Walk through it together
You see the result and what drove it before signing. Questions are answered in plain English, not tax code.
E-file and follow up
We e-file federal and Illinois returns, set up direct deposit for refunds and stay available if a letter arrives later.
What to bring for your tax preparation
Bring what you have. Missing a form? We can often pull it from your IRS wage and income transcript.
Individuals and families
- W-2s from every employer
- 1099s for contract work, interest, dividends, retirement or unemployment
- Last year’s federal and Illinois returns
- Mortgage interest (Form 1098) and property tax bills
- Childcare provider details and education forms (1098-T)
- Health insurance Form 1095-A if you used the Marketplace
- Records of estimated payments made during the year
- Any IRS or Illinois letters received
Business owners and self-employed
- Year-end profit and loss and balance sheet, or your bookkeeping file
- Bank and credit card statements for the year
- Payroll reports and W-3 summary
- 1099s issued to contractors
- Asset purchases, loans and vehicle use
- Home office square footage if you work from home
- Prior-year business return and K-1s
- Illinois sales tax and other state filings made
Chicago tax filing dates to know
Federal and Illinois individual returns are due April 15. If you need more time, we file an extension with a payment estimate, because an extension gives you more time to file, not more time to pay. S corporations and partnerships file a month earlier, on March 15.
Illinois taxes income at a flat 4.95%, and most Chicago residents only file federal and Illinois returns. If you worked in another state, moved during the year or run a business that sells across state lines, our multistate tax service handles the allocations. For Illinois sales, use and local taxes, see state and local tax.
When it pays to use a tax preparer
Not everyone needs a professional. Here is an honest look at when it makes a difference.
Business income or self-employment
Life changed this year
You received a letter
You are behind or filed wrong
A simple W-2 return
Income tax preparation for every kind of Chicago taxpayer
Freelancers and gig workers
Rideshare, delivery, creative and consulting income on 1099s, with expenses, mileage and quarterly estimates handled. See our self-employed page.
Small business owners
Sole proprietors, LLCs and S corps, prepared from your books. Owner and business returns are coordinated so K-1s and salary line up. See small business tax prep.
Nonprofits
Form 990, 990-EZ and 990-N information returns, plus Illinois charitable filings, prepared with your board and funders in mind. See Form 990 filing.
Families and homeowners
Child tax credit, dependent care, education credits, mortgage interest and Illinois property tax credit, all reviewed every year.
Retirees and investors
Pensions, Social Security, required minimum distributions, brokerage 1099-Bs and rental income reported correctly.
Expats and multistate filers
Americans abroad and people who earn in more than one state, with foreign income exclusions and state allocations done right. See expat tax preparation.
Rated 5.0 by 100+ clients on Google
Chicago taxpayers describe a team that explains the numbers, answers quickly and gets returns right the first time.
Tax preparation questions
Every return is different. If your question is not here, ask us during a consultation.
Book a consultation →How much does tax preparation cost in Chicago?
It depends on the forms your return needs. A W-2 return with a few credits is at the low end. Schedule C business income, rental property, multiple states or K-1s add forms and time. We quote a fee after a short review of your situation, before any work starts, so there are no surprises.
What do I need to bring to get my taxes done?
Your income forms (W-2s, 1099s), last year’s return, and records for anything you want to claim, such as mortgage interest, childcare, education, charitable gifts or business expenses. Bring any IRS or Illinois letters too. We send a personalized checklist before your appointment.
Do you e-file, and how fast will I get my refund?
Yes, every return is e-filed with the IRS and Illinois. The IRS issues most refunds within about 21 days of acceptance when you choose direct deposit. Illinois refunds are tracked separately and usually arrive in a similar window during filing season.
Can I do my taxes with you without coming into the office?
Yes. Many clients upload documents to our secure portal, review the return by video call and sign electronically. If you prefer to meet in person, we have offices in Chicago’s Hyde Park and in Olympia Fields.
Should I use a tax preparer or do it myself?
If your return is one W-2 and the standard deduction, software works fine. If you have business income, rental property, investments, a life change, more than one state or a letter from the IRS, a preparer usually finds more than the fee costs and keeps you out of trouble.
Do you prepare business and personal returns together?
Yes, and we recommend it. When the same team prepares your S corp or partnership return and your personal return, K-1s, salary and estimated payments all line up, and planning covers your whole situation.
What if I have not filed for a few years?
Start with our unfiled tax return service. We pull your IRS transcripts, rebuild missing records and file every open year in the right order. Refunds can still be claimed for returns within three years of their due date.
I already filed and found a mistake. What now?
File an amended return. Form 1040-X corrects the federal return and Form IL-1040-X corrects Illinois. Our amended tax return service prepares both and calculates the refund or balance before filing.
Do you prepare Form 990 for nonprofits?
Yes. We prepare Form 990, 990-EZ and 990-N for Chicago nonprofits, along with Illinois charitable registration filings. See our Form 990 filing page for details.
Book your tax preparation consultation today
Send us last year’s return and this year’s documents, and we will tell you what your return needs and what it will cost before any work begins.